Safe Haven
by Deyse
Summary: By Kimbre and Deyse. What seems to be a simple assignment turns into a dangerous situation for one angel and a human assignment.  Can a friendship prevail despite secrets and can healing happen once the truth comes out?
1. Prologue

_Hello, everybody!_

_Kim and I want to present our new story. We also want you to know that this is __not__ a sequel to "Mending broken hearts," our latest story. Let's say it's a new beginning for our favorite angels. We truly hope you like it! :)_

_All the best, _

_Kimbre and Deyse_

**Safe Haven**

**(****By Kimbre and Deyse)**

He had been walking through the fields of Heaven for a while now. The constant sunrays bathing the land made his short hair shine like gold and the fresh breeze soothed his angelic heart, helping to erase some of the sadness that the latest assignments had caused him. Nothing he was not used to deal with over the centuries as an angel of death, but even angels needed a break from the human race once in a while and returning to their Home reminded them of their loving Father and all of His wonderful creations.

Andrew walked slowly but constantly, with his hands tugged in his pockets and a serene expression on his face. His green eyes stared at the horizon, admiring how perfectly the ever-green mountains met the blue skies; a synchrony of colors that could never be reproduced on Earth, despite the beautiful places that he had already visited along his existence.

The blond angel only interrupted his lonely walk when his eyes spotted another heavenly creature not far from where he was. She was graceful in her long sleeveless dress, which was flying with the breeze, giving the impression that she was floating over the soft green grass. A more attentive look, however, noticed that her small feet touched the ground with delicacy and her fingertips brushed the small daisy petals as she walked by the field of flowers.

He could see she was smiling and it made him smile too. That angel of God had an aura of innocence and kindness that should never be broken, even though some human beings had already tried to do it. This mere thought elicited Andrew's anger and his protective instincts towards her would always become more alert. In his prayers, he wished that their loving Father was always watching over her whenever he was not around and that her existence was filled with nothing but love and joy.

It did not take Monica too long to realize that someone was observing her, as she could already feel the warm presence of a dear friend, who she had not seen in a while. From where she was standing, Monica raised her head up to a small hill and her soft brown eyes met his green ones. There was happiness in them, just like the angel of death had prayed for, and no other greeting would have the same impact other than the beautiful smile that welcomed him.

Walking with purpose now, Andrew made a short trail until where she was and Monica tilted her head to watch him approach her; the smile on his handsome face matching hers as he finally came closer to her.

"These happy reunions in between assignments is what I like the most about the free time spent in our Home." She spoke, as his smile grew wider and he opened his arms to her.

"I couldn't agree more, baby." He said, and his soul was immediately filled with greater peace once he held her tightly; her sweet perfume filling the air, the long auburn locks flying with the breeze and caressing his face, the feeling of her small form in his loving hug. "These are precious."

With their eyes closed, they remained in that affectionate embrace for pleasant and silent moments. There were no other angels around and both saw in it an opportunity to catch up with the latest events. It had been like that since they had first met – well, a little later after that, when Monica stopped being so defensive about him and acknowledged his noble angelic character and started to admire the way he performed God's work.

"Would you mind taking a walk with me?" She finally broke the silence, like she usually did due to her chatty mood and the fact that she was always at ease in his presence.

The angel of death was flattered at hearing that request. He was the one who should be asking for permission to be in her company. "That'll be an honor, angel." Andrew finally spoke, pulling away just enough to look into those brown eyes. In their spark, he could see the joy brought by that special moment and what the blond angel did not know was that his sweet friend could see the same spark reflected in his green pools.

Gently, she disentangled from his embrace and wrapped her arm around his.

"Any place special?" he wanted to know, covering her hand with his as they started a small trail in between the field of flowers.

"Hum… Actually… I think I'm a wee bit inclined to go to a coffee shop, but I'm afraid we won't find one anywhere nearby…"

That comment elicited a small laughter from him. "I'm afraid not, angel. But if you truly want to have a cup of your mocha then I guess I could find a way…"

"Oh, well, I can only see one way, which would be our changing to human forms and going back to Earth just for a little while despite the fact that Tess would be oblivious to this little escapade." She had no second intentions nor was her comment an ironic one, but when Monica saw the mischievous smile on his face, her mouth dropped open and she smiled back at him in disbelief. "Andrew!"

"I'm afraid you'll need shoes, baby!" he replied, and on the following second they were standing in front of a coffee shop in the center of Salt Lake City. Their clothes had changed too: now she was wearing a purple turtle neck sweater, which only emphasized the meekness of her Gaelic features, blue jeans and brown leather boots. Along with a t-shirt, jeans and black shoes, Andrew put on one of his favorite clothing item: his black leather jacket, which gave his human form an extra charming look.

"I hope it's alright." He spoke, looking up at the eighteenth century building that stood before them.

The Irish angel let out a contented sigh at that elegant construction and at the smell of coffee she could feel even from outside. "It looks just perfect!"

X

"…I didn't know there was such a lovely cafeteria in this area! It had never caught my attention before!" Monica spoke, holding a large mug of mocha latte with both hands as if she was holding a treasure. The blond angel could not help chuckling at the thin moustache of cream that was formed above her lips as she took a sip of her favorite drink. "And I would certainly have noticed it while on assignment around here."

"It's rather new, angel. The building was sold a while ago and the new owner decided to make it a coffee shop. I guess it was open last month." He explained, holding a mug with hot chocolate.

Monica nodded her head in understanding. "Oh, I see…" And an instant later, her lips curved into a contented smile. "What an adorable enterprise!"

"Yes. The family that owned it was in a very difficult financial situation after the head of the family passed away and needed to get rid of many possessions in order to pay their debts. This building had been in the family for generations but there was no way they could keep it."

Slightly serious, The Irish angel listened to his narrative with attentiveness. "Oh, dear, what a sad story, Andrew…"

"It could have been sadder if the current owner hadn't bought the building and turned it into a café. All the other proposals involved demolishing it."

"Demolishing? But all its history… the family history… everything would be lost!"

"Exactly. So at least now the Richards are pleased with what it was turned into and are free to come by anytime they want."

Hearing that made Monica smile again. "Isn't it wonderful how the Father can make something so sad turn into a sign of hope?"

"Couldn't agree more. You see, angel, sometimes, it's not difficult to know what the best thing to do is. What is difficult is having the courage to do it."

"It's a challenge even for angels…" she added, and then looked around admiring their surroundings, "Well, in the turn of the events, He managed to make two of His angels be happily reunited in this cute café."

"You're perfectly right again. And I'll always pray that He makes our paths cross."

"Deep in my heart I know He will, Andrew." It was then that Monica tilted her head and eyed him with an adorable expression of curiosity. "But… How do you know all this coffee shop story?"

He smiled, amused at the way she was gazing at him with such an inquiring expression. "I was the one who escorted the old owner Home." Andrew revealed, watching as she nodded her head. "And then I was assigned to be the family's accountant."

Hearing that caused Monica's gaze turn from curious to an admiration one. "Ah, Andrew… Why am I not surprised that you were involved in all this process? The Father wanted to make a two in one assignment and chose the perfect angel for that!"

Laughing at her wording and not at all wanting to receive so much praising, he shook his head. "It was way too long, I think." Then, noticing that she had placed the almost empty cup on the table, he covered her hand with his. "I missed our quality time together, baby."

The Irish angel was moved at hearing that. "So did I… Very much."

"How are you doing, angel?" He questioned, not wanting to be the topic of the conversation and always interested on the latest events that filled her existence. "Please, tell me about your assignments, all this time I wondered where you were, what you were doing…"

"Oh, well… First of all I guess you'll be happy to know that this is the first mocha latte I'm allowed to drink in the last… two days! Goodness gracious, I hadn't realized it'd been that long!"

"Two days? Really?" Andrew was trying hard to hide his chuckling. "And what kept you away for so long, angel?"

"I guess I managed to make an assignment be… a profound admirer of coffee, just like me…" The embarrassment on her face was such that he could not help laughing. "… And Tess was not totally pleased with it, I'm afraid…"

"For your information, addicting human beings to caffeine in order to accomplish the missions established by the Father was never on the caseworker's manual!"

Both angels looked at their right and saw their friend and supervisor standing next to their table with her arms crossed and a stern expression on her face.

"Hey, Tess…" Andrew greeted, not hiding his amusement at her slight annoyance.

"Hullo, Tess… I didn't know you liked hanging out in the new coffee shop too!" Monica gently greeted her, still a little embarrassed.

"No, I did not come here with the intention to 'hang out in the new coffee shop,' Miss Wings!"

"Oh… well, then at least now you'll have the chance to enjoy it a little more… And Andrew is responsible for all that!"

Tess looked at Andrew with eyebrows raised and still with a serious expression. "Why am I not surprised?"

"Have a seat, Tess!" He friendly invited.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Monica was aware that her supervisor was not in a good mood, but in silence Andrew watched how his dearest friend managed to break that barrier.

"Hum… It looks a fine establishment, I must say…" she pulled out a chair and took a seat next to them.

"And I'm glad you're here too, Tess… Free days are always joyful ones when one is reunited with their dearest friends!"

She finally elicited a smile from the oldest angel. "I'm glad to be here too, baby, but I'm afraid the free time is about to finish…"

If Monica's face fell at hearing that, Andrew's heart clenched as he felt like his sweet angelic friend was being taken away from him so soon.

"Oh, no, Tess… That early?" he spoke, frowning with concern and reaching across the table to take Monica's hand.

"Are you questioning the Father's timing, angel boy?" the supervisor asked, surprisingly not moved with the possibility of their precocious separation.

"You know I'm not, it's just that-"

"Good. Because He was so pleased with the job you did with the previous owner of this coffee shop building that He has assigned you to be an accountant again."

"A caseworker then? It will take more time and your full attention…" The way Monica was looking at him melted his heart: he loathed to see those beautiful doe-like eyes so filled with sadness.

He squeezed her hand gently. "It might not last that long…"

"Oh, it will. You're going to work at a farm, located 100 miles from here. The owners are in great need of someone who instructs them on how to lead their property and the Father has many plans for it…"

"I understand…"

"And of course that farm has animals… horses to be exact, so they'll also need a vet. Which is why you are heading there too, angel girl!"

The mix of relief and joy on the angels' face cheered even a grumpy soul like Tess'.

"You mean we are going together, Tess?"

"That is correct, baby. All of us, as they also need a minister for the small farm chapel."

He and Monica exchanged a contented look and now the angel was smiling broadly again – an image that would always cheer his heart.

Andrew called the attendant and spoke something to him while Tess kept on explaining Monica that they would have to stay in the farm while on assignment due to the distance from the city. When they were leaving, the oldest angel noticed that the young waiter gave Andrew a pack and she frowned with annoyance to read what its content was.

"I cannot believe it!"

"Peppermint mocha latte! And they have a to-go-package!" Monica exclaimed, excited like a five-year-old as he deposited the package in her hands.

"It'll be a long trip, Tess!" he spoke, causing the supervisor to grumble something and storm out to the parking area to pick up her Cadillac.

"Thank you!" Monica murmured against his ear, causing him to return her smile and wink at her. Then, he wrapped an arm around her small shoulders and both angels also headed to the parking lot. He could not be more pleased.


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

"Mr. and Mrs. Snyder," Andrew extended his hand and it was immediately enveloped in the older man's grip, "I'm Andrew and this is Monica. Your daughter had had placed an inquiry in the newspaper for an accountant and an equine veterinarian?"

"Yes, yes, but please, call me Jonathan and this is my wife, Margaret. Caroline, my daughter, is in town picking up some groceries but should be back later. Come on in so we can talk."

Monica looked around the old country kitchen with great appreciation; the huge oak table and chairs, the wooden cupboards, the large pantry, in some ways she felt as if she had stepped back in time. It was moderately decorated with baskets and knick knacks and a true feeling of a human home; warm and filled with love. Her heart felt honored just to be there.

"Your home is beautiful, Mrs. Snyder," The little angel remarked as they were led to the table and she smiled sweetly as Andrew pulled her chair out for her. Her dearest friend was always so attentive to her and it was one of the many reasons she loved him so.

"Thank you, Monica, but really, it's Margaret," the woman's blonde hair was pulled up into a bun that accentuated her pleasantly round face. Margaret reached over to the counter and picked up a plate of warm chocolate chip cookies which she laid on the table, "I also made a fresh pot of coffee. Anyone interested?"

"None for me, thank you," Andrew replied, but he had to hide a grin at Monica's enthusiastic nod, "Monica is the coffee drinker."

"So you two know each other?" Jonathan questioned as he took a seat across from them and reached for a cookie.

"We're old friends," He answered honestly as he exchanged a glance with Monica. She was already happily dunking her cookie into her coffee, perfectly content.

"A dunker after my own heart!" Jonathan laughed as he joined Monica in dipping his own cookie in his hot beverage.

She grinned in response, "The chocolate chips make it taste like mocha latte a wee bit, don't you think?"

Jonathon looked thoughtful for a moment as he took another bite of soggy cookie, "Why, I do believe you're right."

Andrew watched in fascination as his friend giggled like an innocent child, sharing a very special joke, but then in the very next instant, her expression had turned serious, "How many horses do you have here on the farm?"

Sitting down with them, Margaret answered the question, "Right now about twelve, including the yearlings and two of the mares are pregnant and due any day. The farm used to turn over a good income but with the economy the way it has been lately, many of the horse owners in the area have been forced to sell their stock. We used to help train those horses and board them, but we can't train and board what is no longer there."

"So, your farm is in danger?" Andrew frowned at this news and he could already see the twinge of sadness in Monica's doe-like eyes.

"We're afraid without a winning race horse, we may be shutting down at the end of the year. Ian, you'll meet him later, was hired on to train our yearlings in the hope one of them might be the one but so far we have had more injuries than speed."

"Injuries?" Monica's brow knitted together with concern.

"Ian says the colts so far haven't shown any indication that they could race for the long haul. They are injuring easily; sprains, swollen legs, that's where you come in, Monica. We're hoping with a vet on the premises to oversee any problems, we may be able to avoid so many of them." Jonathan sighed as his gaze moved to the window where several horses could be seen grazing in the field, "Without a race horse, we could wind up putting the whole farm on the market."

The two angels didn't miss the despair in his words nor the tears that glistened in Margaret's blue eyes, "We'll do all we can to see that doesn't happen," Andrew stated firmly.

"Oh yes! Andrew is a wonderful accountant! He just helped someone else save their business and if there is a way to save yours, he will find it, I assure you!"

Jonathan chuckled, seeing how Monica's unabashed praise caused his new accountant to blush bright red, "Well, with that kind of endorsement, I place my trust in you, Andrew."

"Thank you, sir," He murmured, still feeling the heat in his face.

"You won't be disappointed!" Monica added happily. Though she knew she had embarrassed her dear friend, she also felt Andrew never gave himself nearly enough credit. He was by far, the smartest and wisest angel she knew.

X

**x**

After more conversation about the Snyder's expectations for their new employees, the two angels parted ways; Andrew heading to the financial office and Monica beginning the short walk down to the stables.

The morning air was fresh and clean and the little angel filled her human lungs with the scent of roses that were blooming near the house. The birds chirping in the trees above her added to her smile as not being an angel able to sing or rather, carry a tune, all music she could listen to made her impossibly happy.

Or maybe her delighted mood had more to do with her best friend in the angelic realm finally being with her on an assignment.

Nearing the stables, Monica could already hear the nickers and whinnies of its inhabitants. Entering inside the first building, she watched as six sets of beautiful brown eyes turned towards her and she was quick to stop and show each of her new charges some affection. Nearing the last stall, she stopped, noticing that the mare inside, whose name plate read "Amazing Grace" instead of being at the door to greet the new visitor, remained in the back of the enclosure. Hastily taking the horse's inventory, angelic eyes were able to see swelling on the right back leg.

"Oh! What's happened to you?" Opening the stall door, Monica slipped slowly inside, not wanting to frighten the injured animal, but the presence of an angel was rarely met with fear by animals or children and Grace was no exception. Her large trusting eyes turned to Monica and she remained still as the angel ran her hands down the swollen leg.

"We need to get some ice on you, Grace. Let me see if I can find some…"

"_Hola, _**_angelito_****."**

**Remembering to not jump and startle Grace, Monica whirled around slowly, a smile lighting her face, "Raphael! What are you doing here?"**

**A grin crossed his boyish face as he handed an ice pack and bandaging tape, "I think I am giving you what you need at the moment."**

**"Thank you," She took the supplies from him and set to work on taping the ice pack to Grace's leg, hoping it would bring the mare some relief, "Do you know what happened to her?"**

**A small sigh accompanied by a "****_Si_****," caused a bit of disconcertment to rise up in her chest, "We'll talk when you finish."**

**The Irish angel finished her task and gave the horse an affectionate pat and a little kiss on the nose, "I'll check on you soon, lovey." **

**Exiting the stall, Monica gave her angelic friend a greeting hug, "I'm so happy you're here! Andrew is too and I think Tess will be working in town. Aren't the Snyder's a lovely couple?"**

**"Si, they are, Monica, but they have bigger problems right now."**

**Looking into his dark eyes, she frowned, "Grace's leg?"**

**"Only part of it. ****_Venga_****. Follow me and I'll show you."**

**She fell in step next to him and allowed him to lead her further down the hill and up the next one, and she was only more amused when a black and white Border Collie seemed to come out of nowhere to join them.**

**"Well, hello there," Monica's lilted voice caused the animal's ears to perk.**

**"Monica, meet Brady," The dark skinned angel introduced the two, knowing they would immediately be fast friends and when Monica stopped long enough to give him a scratch behind the ears, he knew the relationship was sealed.**

** They arrived at the top of the hill and right below them was the track, where a balding man at the gate appeared to be in a heated argument with a young jockey on horseback and the sound of their angry voices easily reached the angel's ears.**

**"You're running him too hard, Ian!" The jockey pulled off his helmet and Monica could just make out the look of fury on the young man's face, "It's too much too soon! Grace already has an injury and we are soon going to do the same to Midnight Dancer!"**

**"We don't have the luxury of time, Justin," Ian snapped back, "This farm is only weeks away from having to close its doors and sell off all their stock if we can't produce a winner!"**

**"We can't come close to producing a winner if they keep getting injured!"**

**"Listen boy, the Snyder's hired me to train a winner and I'm the one who says who rides so if you want to keep your job, I suggest you shut your mouth."**

**"I'm not keeping quiet about you abusing these horses, so I guess you can find yourself another jockey!" Sliding off the horse's back, Justin threw his helmet to the ground, "I quit!"**

**"He's abusing the horses**?" Monica's whisper was horrified as she knelt down to comfort herself by burying her fingers into Brady's soft fur.

"He works them too hard, too soon, just as Justin said," Raphael explained, glancing down at his friend worriedly, "And I'm afraid you are going to be dealing with him more than you will enjoy."

Looking up, she met his eyes, a tiny shimmer of fear in them before it was immediately replaced with fierce determination, "No time like the present."

Before he could offer any more advice, Monica was off down the hill at a jog, Brady at her heels, "Excuse me?"

Ian turned around at the sound of a voice he didn't recognize, "May I help you?"

Stopping in front of him, Monica extended her hand, "My name is Monica. The Snyder's hired me to care medically for the horses."

"Ian," He replied curtly, as he looked her up and down in distain. He then swung the gate open and grabbed Midnight's halter as Justin was already out of sight and as far as Ian was concerned, out of mind.

"I'll cool him down," She offered, hoping he wouldn't argue, beings the way he looked at her from head to toe had nearly made her shudder and Brady had even emitted a low growl. But seeing what this man had done to Grace, even accidently, she wanted to make sure a similar fate didn't fall on this colt.

"Part of my job and better handled by me."

"If you don't mind, it will help me to get a better feel for Midnight, which is important for me to be able to perform my job effectively. I've just spent some time with some of the other horses, including Amazing Grace, who needed her leg iced, by the way."

Ian's gaze narrowed into a glare as he looked at her, "Can't do everything around here and Justin is a terrible jockey. He injured her and didn't take the time to care for the injury. Not my problem."

"It should be if it is your job to try to find a winner for this stable," Monica countered carefully. This human's attitude was beginning to upset her and injustice to children or animals were both things that weighed heavily on a sensitive heart.

Taking a step closer to her, Ian brought a finger close to her face, "Look Monica, if you want to get along with me even a little bit, you need to understand one thing: I don't take any crap from any woman, you got that? I've been doing this for most of my life and I don't need some female straight out of veterinary school telling me what my job is and what it isn't. You may be in charge of the horse's medical care but that is as far as it goes. You got that?"

Visibly shaken, Monica took a step back from the angry finger aimed at her face, but she was not one to back down, especially when she was right, "As the one in charge of the horse's medical care, I am taking Midnight to cool down to make sure he is all right. I believe that falls under my job description." Never taking her eyes from him, she took the colt's halter into her hand.

For a brief moment, she thought he might shove her out of the way, but he seemed to stop himself, though there was no disguising the contempt in his eyes, "Fine. Just stay the hell out of my way."

She allowed her body to tremble briefly as the tall human strode purposefully away from her and back up to the stables. She hated to feel fear of any of God's precious creation but she certainly did not feel comfortable around Ian.

"C'mon baby," She crooned to the colt, in an attempt to settle them both down, "Let's get you cooled off and groomed." As she led him across the track, Monica let her thoughts wander to Andrew and she hoped he was having an easier time on his assignment than she was on hers.


	3. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2**

"This is the farm's office. Our daughter keeps all the papers related to the farm in those folders... bills, debts, bank reports... Everything is there."

After the talk in the kitchen, Mr Snyder had taken Andrew to the farm office. They passed by the main living room, cosy and also decorated with simplicity but with beauty, then followed a corridor with some wooden doors. The man opened one of them and motioned for Andrew to come inside.

The angel's eyes scanned the room and he was glad to see that it was neatly organised, with older folders stored in a shelf and the newer ones over the desk. There were some other papers on it too and Mr Snyder explained that his daughter kept the documents related to the horses in the drawers.

"Everything is perfect. I'll start working right now if it's alright with you." Andrew spoke, wishing nothing but to help that family.

"Oh, yes, of course, if you prefer. Later, I'll take you to see the rest of the house, its outside and the guest house where you and Monica will stay with the other employees. Mrs Davidson is our housekeeper and went downtown with Caroline, they should be here soon. You'll also meet Justin, our jockey, Rafael takes care of the stables and Ted is our gardener."

"Dad?"

A female voice suddenly interrupted their conversation and they looked at the office door to see a young woman, with shoulder length dark hair and green eyes and wearing blue jeans and boots combined with a plaid long sleeved shirt. The tone of her voice was serene but a more attentive look could realise the hint of worry in the depth of her eyes.

"Hey, Caroline! I'm glad you arrived. This is Andrew, our accountant!" The man introduced. "Andrew, this is my daughter Caroline."

"It's very nice to meet you, Andrew. I'm glad you replied to our ad because I was up to the point of selling the farm." She said, shaking hands with him.

"Nice to meet you, Ms Snyder. Your parents explained the situation and be sure we'll find a way to solve the crisis."

"Please call me Caroline. I hope so and soon. I don't think I'm ready to give everything up, especially our horses."

"Monica is taking care of them right now," Mr Snyder interrupted, "She's the new vet and answered the ad you put in the newspaper together with Andrew, they're friends."

"A vet too? I didn't think help would come that fast!"

"Your horses couldn't be in better hands, I can assure you." The blond angel spoke, imagining how entertained his dearest friend would be by that time, as he knew how much she loved being in contact with nature and animals – for her some of the most wonderful of God's creations.

As Mr Snyder said, later on both angels were introduced to the other members of the house. Mrs Davidson, the housekeeper, was in her sixties and had had been in the family since Caroline was a baby. She was a simple woman, with an honest look and a broad smile, who also seemed to be worried about the family's financial situation not because of her job itself, but because she liked the Snyder's as if they were her close relatives. Ted, the gardener, was a man of few words who liked to spend most time taking care of his flowers and other plants and it was easy to realise that they had been elected their best friends.

And they were also introduced to Ian and witnessed Caroline's apprehension when she received the news that Justin, the jockey, had just quit. Rafael, who greeted his angelic friends with a smile of complicity, had offered to take the other boy's place and train the horses and the Snyder's had no other option but to accept his proposal.

The first day in the farm passed by quickly, especially after lunchtime. Only when the sun started to set in the horizon did Andrew make a pause from his work –different papers and documents were now on the desk and he had been carefully studying one by one over the last hours.

But a certain absence caused him to leave his office and take a walk outside. The golden sunrays that shone over the green vegetation made the vast land look like a beautiful picture, bearing some resemblance to the scenario that the angel was accustomed to seeing in his Home.

He followed a trail that took him to the stables, and soon could hear the sounds made by their inhabitants. Despite the fact that it was still early spring, it had been a warm day and apart from the animals noises, the silence of the place made it a peaceful atmosphere. Andrew stopped walking when he spotted an open field with short green grass not far from the stables. There, another angel stood in front of a gorgeous mare, caressing its head, and after a few words of "encouragement" she took the animal's harness and guided her with slow steps and visible tenderness. It was amazing how the horse remained serene in her presence, instinctively putting its life in the hands of the heavenly creature and certain that she would take care of it.

Monica seemed to be in a trance as she gently conducted Amazing Grace along the field, and only the excited barks of a Border Collie who had been sitting on the ground attentively watching the angel took her out of her reverie. The dog soon came towards Andrew, determined to check on the stranger who dared to approach them. But he quickly sensed that he and Monica were made from the same essence.

"Hey, buddy! How are you doing, huh?" Andrew spoke, kneeling in front of the animal and greeting him by running a hand over his soft white fur. Brady acknowledged his presence by wagging his tail; his barking ceasing as he felt that the newcomer offered no harm.

Smiling, Monica watched as her dear friend walked in her direction now followed by her new guardian.

"So... this is Grace, the one you could not stop talking about during lunch!" he said, glad to see a joyful spark in her sweet doe-like eyes.

"Isn't she lovely, Andrew?" the Irish angel replied, gently caressing the flat spot beneath horse's brown eyes. Andrew reached out and touched the animal's soft brown fur; he too was enchanted by its beauty.

"She sure is, angel. A really beautiful mare. I hope her injuries aren't that bad."

"They are quite serious but I'm hoping to be able to treat them."

"Do you think she'll be able to run again?" he wanted to know, turning his eyes back at her.

"It's still too early to know. Let's see how she will respond to the treatment."

"How did she get hurt?" The blond angel was now observing the wound in Grace's back leg.

Monica knew exactly what had happened and who had been responsible for that. But she also knew how upset her dear friend would be if she told him everything about Ian and the way he mistreated the horses. And Andrew had already a lot to worry about with his assignment, it would not be fair to inflict more concern in his heart. "I believe during a training and probably a subsequent competition. It's hard to tell exactly because she had been like that for a while before I got the chance to examine her."

It was an honest answer.

Andrew nodded his head. "I understand. And I know you'll do everything you can to make her heal. Even if she cannot run in a competition again, at least to alleviate her suffering."

Monica let out a sigh. "I hope so... Grace and the other animals are... so special..."

The blond angel chuckled at hearing those words. She was getting attached. She always did, especially when it came about animals. "And I see you got yourself a boyfriend!" he joked, looking down at Brady, who was sitting on the grass and paying close attention to the angels' talk.

Giggling, she too looked at the dog, who immediately wagged his tail in response to her gaze. "I'm glad you and Brady got along quite well just from the start!"

"He was watching over you like a real protector, how could I not like him from the start? Besides, it looks like I won't have to worry about your outings in the farm since this buddy here seems to be following you anywhere you go!"

Hearing that, Monica gazed up at him and narrowed her eyes with a slightly shocked expression on her face. "Are you insinuating anything about my sense of direction?"

Making a huge effort not to laugh, the blond angel shook his head. "Oh, no, not at all, angel... What I mean is that you are a nature admirer and could easily get quite entertained by this obviously beautiful view so I'm happy that there'll be 'someone' to show you around as this is new territory for you..."

He hoped he had found the right words and in fact he did, as the charming smile that would always captivate him was back on her lips on the following instant. "You have a point there, Andrew. Having Brady to show me around this beautiful farm is a lovely thought!"

"It is. But now..." His soft green eyes turned up to the orange sky for a moment and then back to meet her brown ones. "I wonder if you would like to share this sunset with me?" He said, reaching out to take her hand.

She looked at their intertwined fingers and nodded with enthusiasm. "I would love to!"


	4. Chapter 3

_Kim and I want to thank all of you who took some time of your day to read our story. And a special thanks to Shadow Cat17, angelgirlonline, beauty0102 and AngelicSongs for their always so kind feedback (AngelicSongs, thanks a lot for your kind words, they mean a lot)._

**CHAPTER 3**

Hand in hand, the two angels strode in the vast green field slowly admiring its grandiosity. Before they started their little outing, Monica took Grace to her stall and bid her goodbye with some affectionate words, and she was sure that the animal could understand each of them. The Snyder's farm was not one of the biggest in the area but there were other neighbour properties around so those lands reached the horizon and truly made it look like a portray of Heaven. Monica and Andrew walked for a while, up to the spot where they found a willow and, surprisingly under the tall tree, there was an old wooden bench, probably built there some couple of centuries before so that one could admire the beautiful view of the plateau.

"Isn't it very considerate, Andrew? Probably the Snyder's great-grandfather built it so he and Mrs Snyder could watch many sunsets or maybe some sunrises from here." The Irish angel spoke, her dreamy eyes already picturing the couple snuggling together in a romantic end of the day, after working hard on their property and dreaming of a better future.

Chuckling, as he knew that there was a short film going on her mind, Andrew motioned for her to take a sit. Then, he too sat down next to her and wrapped his arm around her small shoulders, scanning their surroundings with admiration. "They couldn't have made a better choice. It's really an amazing view."

The couple of angels watched as the last golden rays covered the earth in a silent but astonishing departure.

"Do you know what makes sunsets so special, Andrew?" Monica spoke, after a minute in absolute silence.

Andrew's green eyes moved from the beautiful landscape to meet her soft brown ones, already gazing up at him in expectation.

"What is it, baby?"

"The fact that we don't have a view like that when we're Home, as the sun never goes down there."

He smiled and nodded his head, always enjoying her witty remarks. "You're perfectly right. And we're so blessed that we have the opportunity to watch this whenever we are here on Earth."

"We certainly are!" She inched closer to him to add another comment, "And together!"

Andrew's smile never faded as he gave her shoulder a light squeeze.

As they fell silent again, the Irish angel let out a soft sigh and rested her head over his shoulder, enjoying the atmosphere of peace and harmony brought not only by that place but also by Andrew's presence. From his gentle heart emanated reassurance and that fact alone made her feel more confident to deal with all the drawbacks she would certainly have to overcome during their stay on that farm. Monica knew that God was watching over them, but she also knew that there was a friend nearby who she could always run to whenever she felt in doubt or weak.

Resting his cheek on the top of her head, Andrew lifted a silent prayer of thanks for having the honour to share that moment with such a dear friend. To him, Monica was the best reminder of God's love as her pure and innocent heart could touch even the hardest of the souls. Carried by the soft breeze, wisps of her auburn hair, now even more reddish due to the sunlight, caressed his handsome face, and the sunrays created a glowing aura around her human form that made her look divine all over again.

When shades of purple started to fill the sky and mix with the orange hues that insisted on remaining there, the breeze brew a bit stronger, causing Monica to flinch and rub her arms.

"It's time for us to go, angel. It was a beautiful day but in the countryside it always gets chilly after the sun goes down." He said, giving her shoulders another gentle squeeze and then pulling away.

"I suppose you are right... It's a wee bit cold already..."

"Here..." The blond angel removed his leather jacket and carefully wrapped it around her small form, glad to see her grateful look back at him. Brady, who had been quietly sitting by his mistress' feet, was quick to stand up when he realised they were leaving.

X

Monica and Andrew accepted the farm's owners invitation for dinner and were now sitting at the table the rest of the family. Apart from Ian, who did not spend the nights in the farm, all the employees were hosted in a guest house just next to the biggest one. Despite Mr Snyder's insistence, Ted, the gardener, had politely declined their invitation and preferred to have the evening meal in the employees' building and Rafael offered to make him some company.

"Your farm is a lovely place, Caroline. Have you ever thought about developing another activity here besides raising horses?"

"Actually, it has occurred me sometimes, Monica. But I wouldn't know how to start a new business and at the moment I don't think I would be able to anyway..." the family owner replied, sitting across from the angel.

"Our family raised horses for many generations, you see. But a long time ago, when my great-grandparents bought this farm, they first raised crops of sunflowers and roses." Mr Snyder told them, causing the reveal to be a little surprising.

"Oh, dad, I didn't know it, you never said anything about it!"

"Well, it was for a short time. Later on they started to raise horses and train pure bloods to run horse races."

"I saw the trophies in the study room, Mr Snyder. The family has been breeding champions for years." Andrew spoke, as in the way to the office he had stopped to admire all the beautiful prizes proudly displayed in many shelves in the study room.

"We have. Midnight Dancer and Amazing Grace are our best horses, but all the others have won many competitions." Caroline explained, "Our farm wasn't going well due to the crisis, though. Then, two of our horses got injured and could not run the last two championships. And when Grace got her leg wounded, well, this is when things started to go worse."

"Rafael showed me Midnight Dancer's training. He's a beautiful stallion, Caroline. It wouldn't be a bad idea if you could spare him as much as possible if you intend him to run next month."

With that suggestion, the Irish angel was not only thinking about the horse's rest, but also about protecting it from Ian. She had a feeling that sooner or later she would have to confront him about the way he treated the animals, though.

"Do you really think so? I mean, Ian has come here every two days to prepare him for the competition..."

"That can be reduced." She immediately said, causing Andrew to notice some urgency in the tone of her voice that he didn't quite understand.

"Do you really think so, Monica?"

"I do. The animals can be put in a lot of stress before an event like that, so I think it would be better if we did as little as possible to alter his routine."

The young woman smiled, glad to hear it as she too felt sorry for the animals whenever they were on intense training. "You're right. Dancer always stays a little uneasy before competitions, you see. I even avoid riding him on these days even if it's kind of a sacrifice for me."

"Midnight Dancer was a birthday present!" Mrs Snyder told them. "Since Caroline was a little girl, she asked for horses and ponies instead of dolls!"

"And she was lucky to have a father who could not say 'no' when he stood before those pleading eyes!" Mr Snyder confessed, making them smile. Andrew slightly nodded his head, chuckling more to himself than to the others as he knew the feeling quite well.

"I'll tell Ian to train him twice a week." Caroline spoke again, "We're putting our hopes on Dancer. If he wins, the money we'll receive will bring some relief to all of us, right, Andrew?"

Sitting next to Monica, the blond angel nodded. "I'll be honest with you, Caroline. From what I've seen so far, the farm situation is quite delicate. Any financial help will be welcome."


	5. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER 4**

Dinner ended later than usual that evening due to the presence of the new guests. Much to Andrew's amusement, Monica's eyes shone as Mr Snyder came from the kitchen holding a tray with two mugs of fresh coffee and other three with hot chocolate. Smiling, the blond angel kept picturing Tess' face if she saw that the assignment had come with an enormous bonus for her dear charge. Well, it had come with an enormous bonus for him too, which was his dearest friend's company all along.

The group talked for over an hour and they were told the story of the farm and its employees, and Monica was apprehensive to learn that the family trusted Ian completely, as Amazing Grace and other horses had won important races under his training. When the clock ticked eleven, however, Andrew noticed that his co-worker was unsuccessfully trying to hide a yawn and that image itself made him chuckle. He was the one to make the first move in order to head to their rooms and minutes later, the two angels were crossing the small path that separated the two farm houses.

"I do hope we are able to help them, Andrew. They seem such a loving family." Monica was glad that he had his arm around her shoulders so she could snuggle a bit closer. Andrew was right: no matter how sunny the day was, it was always rather cold at night and she could see her warm breath through the faint light coming from the lamp posts as she spoke.

"They sure do, angel. And the Father sent us here at the right time. From what I've seen so far I don't think Caroline would be able to keep this farm going for a month more." He spoke, noticing that the bushes and trees along the short trail up to the guest house made the surroundings rather shadowy and therefore slightly uncomfortable for a certain little angel to cross it all by herself.

"Poor her. She loves those animals, I can tell she does."

Their short walk finally came to an end. Andrew opened the front door and motioned for her to enter first, glad that now they were in a warm living room where a fireplace had been previously lit up.

"Well... I know a certain angel who also became quite fond of the animals around here and I sense that her human form could use some sleep right now, it's been quite a busy day!" He spoke, helping her remove her coat and then hanging it in the small closet behind the door.

Monica smiled sheepishly, trying to hide another yawn as she looked up at him. "I guess I'm always a wee bit tired on the first day..." Then, her eyebrows suddenly knitted together in some concern. "Would that mean I'm more prone to acquire human characteristics whenever I'm on Earth?"

The curiosity and seriousness in the way she looked at him were particularly endearing, even if he knew she was not joking. "I don't think so, baby." He replied, tenderly tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear. "You see, each angel responds differently to the transition between their human and angelic forms and it is perfectly fine that your way to react to it is feeling a little tired for a while."

Aware that he was trying to dissuade her from feeling bad about a natural reaction of her human body, she crossed her arms in front of her chest, eyebrows in an adorable pout, "You are not sleepy..."

Now he could not help chuckling at the accusing look she threw him. "Not yet, but I will be eventually! Plus, I'm bigger than you, I can resist more!"

Andrew watched in delight as a rather sleepy grin crossed her face due to his teasing. He quickly got rid of his jacket and then placed both hands over her shoulders, gently guiding her along the corridor. There were six doors there, three on each side, and the other employees had already retired to their rooms.

They stopped in front of the last two doors. Monica was happy to see that her dear friend's bedroom was just across from hers as in a new territory it was always good to have something familiar to hold on to if things got confusing.

"You try to rest as much as you can, angel. Things will be quite busy for us in the following days." He said, gently laying a hand against her cheek.

"I know..." She fell silent for a split second, but before Andrew could ask the reason for that, the Irish angel gave a step forward and wrapped her arms around his torso, in a tight hug which he returned just as warmly. "I'm so glad you're here..."

Due to the circumstances involving Ian, there was more meaning in those words that he himself could have fathomed.

"You're not the only one, baby..." he replied, caressing the long auburn waves in her hair with infinite tenderness.

Only a minute later did she pull away, gazing up at him with tired but joyful eyes. "I'll let you go to bed now, I guess you got quite a lot of my talking for the day..."

She was joking and even made him chuckle. But the truth was that he would never be tired of listening to her. "I'll say an extra prayer of thanks for that!" The blond angel replied, playfully touching the tip of her nose with his index finger.

Then, he lay both hands on each side of her head and brushed a loving kiss against her forehead. "Sleep well, baby." He said, pulling away to look into her soft brown pools afterwards.

"You too, Andrew."

Sorry that she reluctantly disentangled from his loving embrace, the blond angel remained on the same spot, watching as she opened up her bedroom door and then waved him goodbye, closing it a moment later. Only then did he move to his room, a constant smile playing on his lips.

X

Both angels awoke early, knowing that there was much to do, and Andrew was immediately concerned that his dear friend looked as if her sleep had been less than stellar.

"You didn't sleep well?" He grabbed her hand up in his as they met in the living room before heading to the main house for breakfast. Despite the dark circles under her eyes, she looked exceptionally adorable in jeans, boots, a heavy cable knit sweater and a knitted newsboy cap to match.

She gave a tiny shrug, feeling the comfort of his hand engulfing hers. She didn't want to tell him that nightmares of Ian and the horses had plagued her most of the night. She had never expected to be so effected after only one day, "New surroundings, I suppose. I guess I kept waking up."

"You should have come to get me, Angel," He replied sternly, giving her hand a squeeze to take the sting out of his gentle scolding.

"You needed to sleep. You have to look at numbers all day long in order to make certain the farm can be saved," Monica argued half-heartedly. Truth was she had been afraid of pouring out her worries about the horse trainer to him during the late hours. She knew how much he worried about her and she didn't want him distracted from his part of the assignment being concerned about hers.

"And had you come to me we both could have gotten a good night's sleep," Andrew countered, earning him a sheepish smile.

"You're right. If it happens again tonight, I'll knock on your door."

"You don't even have to knock. Just come in. Promise?"

"Promise."

Her answer satisfied him along with her sweet expression that followed her reply. By that time, they had arrived at the house and were immediately welcomed by Jonathan's booming voice.

"Get in here you two! Breakfast is ready and Monica, I have your coffee just the way you like it."

Raising his eyebrows in teasing at his friend, Andrew opened the screen door for her and chuckled at her giggle as she entered. Monica certainly had a way of leaving a lasting impression on everyone she met, himself included.

Breakfast was blueberry pancakes, which were Monica's favourite and though they were certainly delicious, a feeling of unease had settled over her during the meal. She felt a sense of urgency to get to the stables and Caroline's news did little to calm her.

"We spoke with Ian this morning and told him your recommendation to not work Dancer so hard, Monica. He promised he would give the colt the day off."

She nodded her head, but felt a knot forming in the pit of her stomach. Though Ian may have been agreeable to Caroline, she had a sinking feeling he would not be so cordial with her.

Feeling Andrew's eyes on her, she forced another bite of her breakfast before pushing her plate away and rising to her feet, "I need to get to work. I want to check on Grace's leg. I'm hoping the swelling went down during the night."

Andrew relaxed a fraction. She had been worried about the horse. That was probably the reason for her insomnia last night and her silence at breakfast. A grin spread over his face when Jonathon rose to his feet.

"Hold on a moment, little filly," He stopped her, winking at her confused expression. A moment later, he was pressing a to go coffee cup with a lid into her hand, "Can't send you out into the chilly morning air without a hot cup of joe now, can I?"

Andrew had no doubts that her sweet smile went right to the man's heart, "Thank you, Jonathan. I'll see you at lunch. Have a good day everyone."

He'd tried to catch her eye before she hurried out of the kitchen but was unsuccessful, so instead Andrew said a little silent prayer that the horse was doing better this morning.

"She's a dear little thing," Margaret smiled, seeing a slight blush rise to Andrew's cheeks as he nodded his agreement. Turning to her husband, she put on a playful pout, "And you need to stop flirting with her. She is much too young for you. I am sure Andrew is more to her liking."

Andrew nearly choked on his orange juice, "Margaret, we're very good friends."

"Friends. Of course." Sensing his embarrassment, she immediately changed the subject, "More pancakes, Andrew?"

"No ma'am. I'd better get to work too."

Heading down the hall to the office, he shook his head. Margaret wasn't the first human to assume there was more to his relationship with the little angel, but he supposed on the other hand, humans could not begin to understand the depth of his relationship with Monica either. No, other than his relationship with the Father, their friendship was the deepest and most intimate he had ever known in his existence.


	6. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER 5**

Monica walked along the path until she was out of sight of the main house before she broke into a jog, heading to the stables. The uneasiness refused to leave her, even though she was praying she was wrong.

"Raphael!" But her call was only met with soft nickers. A quick glance into Midnight Dancer's stall revealed he was there but he was not her concern this morning. Running down to the last stall on the right, her small hands gripped the wooden stall door.

Amazing Grace was gone.

"No,no, no!" Whirling around, the little angel ran out of the stables and down the long path to the track, her heart pounding in her throat. As she sprinted up the next hill, she nearly collided with Raphael and only his strong arms catching her stopped her from falling.

"Raphael, Grace..."

The Hispanic angel's face wore a look of disgust she had never seen before, "Ian is training with her because I refused to ride her due to her injury." The desperate look on Monica's face gripped his heart, "Angelita?"

"I have to go," She whispered and resume her sprint up the hill. On the other side, she felt her temper fighting to get the better of her. Ian was running the filly around the track and she didn't waste another moment running down the hill and ducking beneath the fence.

"Ian!" She called out to him as he rounded the corner and she didn't miss the look of anger and distain on his face at seeing her but he still pulled the filly to a walk. Monica could instantly see Grace was favouring her swollen back leg.

"What are you doing? You can't run her like that yet!" Without thinking, she approached and grabbed the horse's halter, "Easy girl."

Dismounting the man towered over her, "You don't give me many options when you stick your unwanted nose in with your college degree and decide Midnight Dancer needs some time off!"

He had brought his face so close to hers she could feel his hot breath against her face and she fought not to take a step back in fear. Monica had a feeling if she backed down from him now she would lose any possible credibility she may ever have with him, "You are going to make her lame for the rest of her life and then she will be of no use to you at all. She is still healing and you have probably hindered her more by running her like that."

"I told you to stay the hell out of my way yesterday but it seems you have a hard time with the English language, not being a native to this country and all. You should have stayed the hell in Scotland or wherever you come from instead of coming here to be a huge pain in my backside! I have worked for the Snyder's' for years now and I don't need some two bit vet telling me what to do!"

Monica was sure he could hear her heart nearly pounding out of her chest, "You know what you are doing is wrong-."

"Shut up!" Ian snarled at her, "You don't know these horses or what they are capable of! You just waltzed on in here and start looking down your nose at me...I have been training winners here for years; I have credibility with these people which is more than I can say for you! So if you want to go running that big mouth of yours to this family, you might want to think about who they will believe because I can guarantee it won't be you! Ain't never met a stupid woman yet who knew her place!"

Swallowing hard to keep the tremor from her voice, Monica tightened her hold on Grace's reins, "You're not riding her again today."

Leaning in a tiny bit closer, he lowered his voice, "You just bought yourself a heap of trouble." He glared at her a moment longer and only after she inadvertently flinched, did he turn and walk away from her to his truck.

As he drove off in a flurry of dust, the little angel let out a trembling breath and willed the tears at bay. She had to take care of Grace.

Two hours later, sitting on the floor in Grace's stable with the filly's leg iced once more, Monica allowed the tears to come. She hated that Ian's angry words had hurt her, but they had. She had done nothing to the human but yet he seemed to have a personal vendetta against her.

She smiled tearfully as Grace nuzzled her hair, "Ah, sweet Grace. We'll get you better. You'll see. Though I'm not sure yet how to keep you that way."

"_Angelita_?"

Hearing Raphael's voice, Monica scurried to her feet and knelt to feel Grace's leg once more, her back to the stall door. She didn't need him to know she had been crying as surely he would tell Andrew, "In Grace's stall."

"Is she all right?"

Though she could clearly hear the concern in his voice she dared not turn around, "Umm, hopefully she will be. I'm just going to keep her iced down today and see how things go. Are you going to the main house for lunch?"

"Si. Do you want me to wait for you?"

"No. Will you tell them I have some things to do and I'm not really hungry? I'll just see everyone at dinner."

He hesitated for a moment, wondering if she was all right, but something about her tone stopped him from asking, " Por Supuesto. I will let them know, Monica." He paused for a brief moment, "Angelita, are you all right?"

Swallowing hard, Monica forced a smile into her voice, "Just worried about Grace, is all. I just want her to heal."

Once she heard him depart, she rose to her feet and moved to stand in front of the horse. Kissing the silky spot between her eyes, she scratched Grace's neck affectionately, "I have a feeling, sweet Grace, that when Raphael tells Andrew I'm not coming, he is going to pay me a visit and I'm not sure I am up for that right now. He worries about me a lot, you know, but he is my dearest friend. I just...I don't think I can tell him about this because he will become upset."

As another tear slipped down her cheek, she gave Grace another pat and slipped out of her stall. She wandered through the stable until she came to Charmer's stall, "I hope it is not against the rules, Charmer, but I could really use a ride right about now."

As an angel, she had no use for a saddle nor bridle. Opening the stall, she led the horse out and then stepped up onto bench in the stable in order to swing her leg over Charmer's back. Then curling her fingers into his mane, she gently urged him into a walk out of the stable and then faster. As his legs ate up the ground through the fields, Monica knew she could blame the tears in her eyes on the wind.

X

Raphael wandered into the employee house at lunchtime. Though breakfast and lunch were served in the big house, lunch was a simple affair of sandwiches, fruit, chips and vegetables. Walking into the living room, he found Andrew watching out the window and he didn't have to ask who he was looking for as he already knew.

"_Mi Amigo_, Monica said she had too much to do and wasn't hungry. She told me to tell you she would see you at dinner."

Andrew's brow knitted together in confusion, "She barely ate breakfast."

Sitting down on the arm of the couch, the Hispanic angel looked up at his friend, "Ian was running Grace this morning. Monica was pretty upset about it as she wasn't ready to be run. When I left her awhile ago, she was in Grace's stall, icing her leg."

"Why would he do that? The Snyder's speak highly of him. He has trained several champions here at the farm."

"He's a little arrogant. He wanted me to ride Grace this morning but I refused, so he elected to do it himself. I'm sure Monica put a stop to it though."

"I'm sure she did," Andrew agreed, his expression lightening a little bit at thinking about his friend and her stubbornness, "She's become attached to those horses already." He hesitated, thinking, "I'm going to go check on her and take her a sandwich."

"_Muy Bien_, amigo. I'll see you both at dinner."

He took long strides on the short walk to the stables, a bagged sandwich in his jacket pocket for the little angel. The afternoon air was warmer than the morning had been but there was still a little breeze to the air and dark clouds in the distance. He wondered if the rain would hit them here or pass them by.

Upon arriving at the stables, the angel was surprised to find Brady lying by the entrance, head resting his front paws as his longing eyes gazed out over the fields. At seeing Andrew, the dog lifted his multi-colored head and gave a small whine even as his tail thumped against the ground in greeting.

"Hey Brady," Andrew knelt to scratch the dog behind his ears, "Where's your girlfriend?" Rising, he walked into the stables, "Angel?"

He frowned, not getting an answer. Walking to Amazing Grace's stall, he found the horse with an ice pack taped around her rear leg and she gave a whinny of greeting, "Hello girl," Swinging the door open, he walked into her stall and knelt by her back leg, his strong hands feeling the heat in the leg. Sighing sadly, he rose once more and stroked her, "You are in very good hands, Grace."

Walking back out of her stall and closing the door behind him, he walked from stall to stall, trying to get a clue as to where his dear friend could be. Coming to Charmer's stall, he found it empty and he had a feeling he had his answer.

Walking back outside, his green eyes scanned the horizon but he could see no sign of Monica nor the horse. His concern was heightened by the fact that Brady had remained behind and he could only pray that Charmer knew his way back home. Being geographically challenged, Monica may not be able to figure it out on her own.

Glancing up at the sky and hoping the dark clouds passed them by, he spoke to the One who knew his heart, "Father, take care of her."


	7. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER 6**

The sound of roaring thunders, once echoing at a safe distance, were now making both angel and animal tremble in fear. After a rather pleasant riding, they wandered aimlessly in the woods now, where trees and bushes all seemed equal, forming a maze difficult to decipher. Sighing with some impatience and with an anguished expression on her face, Monica wondered if they were still on the Snyder's property for she and Charmer had been walking for over an hour trying to find their way back.

At first, riding the beautiful stallion had brought her some relief and she felt she could see a better way to deal with Ian and change the way he treated those animals. The wind blowing against her face as she rode and the grandiosity of the lands ahead of her put her heart at ease as they were a reminder that the Father's power was stronger than anything else she would have to face.

Of course there was another way to soothe her troubled spirit: Andrew's arms and his openness to listen to her worries, his wisdom and the ability to speak to her the right words were exactly what she needed now. But it would not be fair to him, as he had an assignment of his own to accomplish. Plus, she feared the consequences of his knowing about Ian's attitude towards the animals in the farm and especially towards her.

"I guess we should make some improvement on our attempts to find our way back home, Charmer! The weather isn't appropriate for a ride in the woods any longer!" She said, softly caressing the horse's neck and looking around her, hoping to see anything familiar nearby.

"These woods can be quite _traicioneras_... very tricky ones!"

The sudden voice that came from behind her finally brought some relief as she immediately recognised it.

"Rafael..."

The angel was riding Jumping for Joy, another beautiful mare that would soon be prepared to run the next horse ride and consequently would be the cause of a new argument between the new veterinarian and the horses trainer.

Rafael could detect the stress she had been under just by looking at her face as he approached. "And Charmer is probably nervous with the thunderstorm, it makes it difficult for him to find his way back." He added, standing next to her.

"It was wrong of me to come that far... I should have known better..." Monica was clearly embarrassed and regret was written all over her face. The two horses were now walking side by side and took a new direction back home.

"Riding helps clearing up thoughts and doubts." Rafael gently offered, aware of her distress.

"It does... but only when you know where you're going..."

"Hey, don't beat yourself up so much. I bet Charmer here enjoyed the ride!"

A tiny smile appeared in the corner of her lip for a split second and then it was gone as another loud thunder echoed through the lands.

"I guess it's time we sped up the pace a little. Follow me!"

It took them ten minutes to get back at the Snyder's farm, right on time considering that the first raindrops started to fall from the angry skies. But if going back to the farm sounded like the most attractive of the ideas at first, now Monica's heart sank with guilt for the image she saw just ahead of her.

Attentively observed by Brady, Andrew was pacing back and forth and running a nervous hand over his short blond hair. When he heard the horse's footsteps he turned his eyes to the horizon, heaving a sigh of relief at the image of Monica coming back to the farm safe and sound thanks to Rafael.

"I took Joy to a ride not far from here so she prepared for her training and when we were coming back we met some old friends!" the Spanish angel spoke, dismounting his horse and trying to lighten the mood as he noticed his co-worker's distress.

"I was worried..." was all the blond angel could say, before he turned his eyes to Monica, who was getting off Charmer. His gaze was heavy and conveyed some of the anguish he kept in his heart during her absence.

She felt terrible.

"I... I didn't think we could go that far... I didn't realise it until..." another loud thunder suddenly interrupted her tearful words. Brady was quick to come by her feet and greet her with canine enthusiasm, deeply pleased when she ran her hand over his soft fur, even though her face was one of misery.

"The fact is that it takes a while for one to know all these lands." Rafael spoke again, not missing the tension between his two friends.

"I was beginning to consider getting one of the horses and looking around myself..." The blond angel averted his eyes from her and Monica could not help but to step towards him. Standing before him, she searched for his eyes.

"I'm ashamed... Please, forgive me..."

Andrew had been worried sick about her but he could detect the guilt in her heart as she spoke, and truth to be told he was aware of how sorry she was for causing him to worry.

"Are you alright?" he asked, and even though he was looking at her, Monica could see the disappointment written in his eyes.

"I am... I... I didn't mean to go that far, I-"

A loud thunder interrupted her, and although she flinched at it, Andrew kept the cold tone in his voice. "The rain will start at any minute. You should put the horses inside."

"Andrew is right. I'll get Charmer and Joy back there." Rafael was quick to say, picking the animals' harnesses and guiding them back to their home, and he did not miss the tension between his angelic friends.

"Andrew..." Monica tried to speak, but the blond angel lowered his head.

"I... I'll be in the study for the rest of the evening. Please tell the family I won't be there for dinner."

Andrew turned his back on her and walked away before she went on apologising. Truth to be told, he was not angry, but terribly worried and upset about her disappearance. The way those vast lands spread along the horizon and the proximity of the woods were the first details he had noticed about the property and it inevitably made him wonder about her safety. During the long couple of hours he waited for her, the blond angel saw a bitter film crossing his mind, with her being lost and frightened somewhere out there and things only getting worse at the first thunders sound.

Of course he would have taken a horse and gone after her and he was exactly preparing for that when the storm started to announce itself. The image of her and Rafael coming towards him brought immediate relief, but could not send away the thought that something bad was happening to her.

But now he had left a very sad Irish angel behind him. Biting her lower lip and trying to force back the tears that threatened to fall from her eyes at any minute, Monica felt amazingly guilty. The look in her best friend's eyes told her the awful moments he had spent in front of the stables wondering where she was. It was clear to her that Andrew had interrupted his work to go after her and all because of her silly attitude. Had she remained where she was supposed to be and accomplishing her assignment like an angel should do, all that nuisance would have been avoided.

Sighing deeply and feeling the first thick raindrops falling over her, the little angel looked down to the ground, where a pair of equally brown eyes stared back at her with a questioning gaze.

"You were worried too, weren't you?" The dog wagged his tail in joy as she knelt next to him and ran her hand over his head. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to cause so much trouble... I hope at least you can forgive me..."

A slight smile appeared in the corner of her mouth as Brady gave her a wet kiss in response to her words.

"Thank you very much... Now come, let's go inside. It will be a pretty angry storm."

Instead of heading to the employees', like Rafael had just done after keeping the horses back in their respective stalls, Monica elected to remain in the stables for a little longer. Her work with Grace was still in progress and considering how nervous thunderstorms made her feel, at least she would be surrounded by all those lovely creatures she was certainly attached with. It would help soothing her heart as right now all she wanted was to hold her dearest friend as tightly as she could and tell him how sorry she was for making him worry so much.


	8. Chapter 7

**CHAPTER 7**

Only at night did Monica returned to the house, as the rain started to cease. Mr Snyder explained that that kind of weather was common at that time of the year but that the storms would go away as fast as they came. Needing to focus on her assignment as a way to avoid dealing with the terrible sensation of guilt that the episode with Andrew was causing her, the Irish angel gave the farm owners an update on the treatment that Grace was receiving – no pain, no needles and Caroline and Jonathan could notice her evident affection for the animal and were certain that it was a key factor in animal's healing.

Despite their insistence, Monica gently turned down the invitation for dinner. The incident with her dearest friend caused her heart to be too filled with anguish and she was in no wish to eat anything until things were cleared between them. The angel just did not know how to approach him, fearing he was still too upset to talk to her right now. Even if she could understand it, it would certainly break her heart.

Andrew, on his part, felt more tired than on the previous day. When the clock ticked ten, he made a short pause and stood up from where he had been sitting for three hours non-stop and gave a short walk up to the window. The silence of the land was soothing, especially now that the storm was over and through the glass he could see the fireflies dancing at a distance.

The Snyder's had retired to their rooms earlier that night as Caroline had to go downtown on the following day and so did her parents. Andrew, however, offered to stay a little more and work on some documents and complicated mathematical calculations. He also knew that his friend had not shown up at the dinner and was determined to go check on her before going to bed – without waking her up. And on the following day it was his one extra assignment to tell her how sorry he was for his reaction to her attempt to apologise.

A light knock on the door made him turn around and what he saw nearly undid him. Monica was standing there, holding a tray with a sandwich and a cup with hot chocolate. That sweet attitude was undoubtedly typical of her but what moved him was the look of regret and somewhat fear that he could see in those sweet but sad brown eyes.

"I imagined you had been working for long now and in this human form it's always good to have a break..." she carefully spoke, stepping inside and placing the tray on the table. Then, she looked at him again. "...Excuse me."

"Angel..."

Monica was already moving to leave the room but the sound of his voice calling her by that term of endearment made her stop.

"Please, come here..." He approached her and gently placed his hand over her shoulder.

"I... don't want to be in the way, I know you have much work to do..." Came her shy reply, but she did not protest when he guided her up to a chair, making her sit down and then taking a seat in front of her.

The blond angel reached for her hand and held it in both of his. "I owe you an apology."

"I'm afraid you don't, Andrew. I'm the one who should tell you again how sorry I am for causing so much trouble..."

He shook his head and gazed deep inside her eyes. "Earlier today I was not fair with you. The way I reacted when you finally came back and the way I left the stables... it made it look like I was angry."

"You had the right to be, it was awfully silly of me to take Charmer and leave especially when I still don't know the farm so well. You're not the one who has to apologise, Andrew."

"I think I am. I was not angry at you, angel. I would never be... Truth to be told, I was angry at myself for letting you leave. Something bad could have happened to you because I was not around."

She was surprised and even felt guilty at this revealing. "But Andrew, there was no way you could have known I had taken Charmer on a ride! You were here accomplishing your assignment as I should have been! Please don't feel this way because it's not fair to you."

A small, bittersweet smile appeared in the corner of his lips and he looked at their conjoined hands before gazing back at her. "It's been a while now I've come to terms with the fact that I loathe the idea of you walking around alone on this Earth, unprotected and in need of help. Even though I know the Father is always watching over you, I still want to be the one angel in charge of putting your heart at ease in case you are afraid or in doubt."

Some tears quickly filled the corner of her eyes as she heard his confession and for a moment Monica felt undeserving of so much love. "Oh, Andrew, but you are! I couldn't have been more blessed by having such a gentle friend close to me whenever I need him! I don't even think I thank the Father enough for that, but you are always in my prayers, either when I tell Him how grateful I am for your friendship or when I ask Him to protect you and keep you in the palm of His hand."

The smile on his face grew a bit wider and he reached out to caress her face with the back of his fingers. "You are such a precious gift, Monica..."

The Irish angel could not hold it any longer and quickly shortened the distance between them by wrapping her arms around his neck in a loving embrace, which he returned with the same affection.

"So are you to me, Andrew." Her crying voice made him reach out and start combing her long auburn hair with his hand, the gentle movement had always helped to calm her down. Then, he kept on talking. "The thought of something bad happening to you is... terrifying. And while I waited for you to come back I kept feeling your anguish, baby... I knew something was not right and was angry that there was nothing I could do about it."

As gently as he could, Andrew pulled away and tenderly wiped away the tears that had fallen from her eyes. Then, he cupped her cheek and looked deep inside her eyes. "Why did you run away, angel? I saw you were working on Grace just before you left..."

She finally broke his gaze at that inevitable question and preferred he had not asked it. "I was. But it has to be done little by little and it was time for a break." She spoke, carefully measuring her words as sometimes she felt he could read her thoughts. "And I confess I was deeply worried about her, especially after Ian decided to train her today. She wasn't ready."

Andrew's stern gaze told her he was already upset at hearing that. "Do you think he might have caused more damage to her health?"

"Her leg was more swollen than yesterday and this is when I started to worry..." Monica let out a small sigh. "I think I was very nervous when I saw him riding her... When I took a break from the first therapy session and noticed I'd still have to wait another hour to restart it, I took Charmer for a ride... The rest you already know..."

"Did you speak to Ian about that? He should be aware that an injured animal cannot be put into training..." Andrew was already beginning to realise that something was wrong with that man.

The Irish angel raised her head again, as if summoning her courage to talk about that. "I did. But I've noticed that apparently he doesn't hold much respect for the horses..."

"What about the Snyder's? Do they know about it?"

"They will, tomorrow."

"If you need any help with it..."

She covered his hand with hers and tried to smile. "It's alright now, Andrew. I think I was more nervous about the situation more than anything else..."

He nodded his head and took her hand to his lips. "I'm sure you will accomplish the mission you've been assigned for beautifully, angel. You always do."

Smiling, Monica tilted her head and threw him an affectionate glance. "Don't you think you are a wee bit biased to say so?"

He did not answer to her question, because he knew that although the sweet little angel had him wrapped in her little finger, no other angel had a heart like hers – loving and generous and ready to sacrifice even herself so she could help another soul.

"Do you know what I think? That you did not eat since you returned from the woods and that right now I could very well stop working and enjoy your company in a night snack!"

He watched as her smile grew wider and her cheeks blushed slightly. "Are you sure I won't be in the way?"

Smiling, he raised to his feet and pulled her with him, never letting go of her hand. "I always want you to be in my way, Monica. Otherwise, I would be the saddest angel in Heaven!"

Those loving words were enough for her to wrap her arms around his waist and hold him tightly. "I love you... even if I keep making your existence here on Earth a wee bit hectic sometimes..."

Chuckling, and holding her back, he kissed the top of her head. "I love you too, angel. Much more than I'm able to express, you be sure about it."

The Irish angel was resting her head against his chest and only moved it to look up at him. "But you are always able to express it!" She said, with a frown and a slight pout that only made her more adorable to him.

The blond angel lay a gentle hand against her cheek and kissed her forehead lovingly. "I pray for that every day. Every day."

X

Andrew chuckled at Monica's poor attempt to cover her third yawn. She was still holding the mug that once contained fresh coffee and the remains of a second sandwich rested in a plate, over the side table. The angels were back at the employees' guest house but at that time of the night all the others had long gone to bed. Sitting on the sofa that faced the warm fireplace, they had spent some good time talking about trivial matters to alleviate the stress of the day.

Andrew had one arm wrapped around her small shoulders and Monica for herself had been using his chest as a comfortable pillow while her eternal chattering and lovely accent filled the air. The blond angel would never be tired of listening to her, that was true, but he could sense that his gentle friend was slowly losing the battle to sleep when she tried to cover her mouth.

"Looks like someone could call it a night right now..." he said, giving her shoulder a light squeeze.

"Who?" She looked up at him with a mock stern gaze that only made him laugh.

"Someone who could clearly use a pillow instead of my chest. It's a lot more comfortable, you see..."

She returned her head to the same spot and closed her eyes. "I highly doubt it..."

Still finding her adorable, Andrew elected to remain there for a little more time, as he was also enjoying that warm atmosphere. The only light source was the light coming from the fireplace, and its flickering glow along with the soothing movement of Andrew's fingers through her hair made the little angel fall asleep in his arms moments later. He knew it would eventually happen and slowly, Andrew removed the empty mug of coffee from her hands and placed it on the side table. Then, he passed one arm underneath her knees and the other around her back, lifting her up and carrying her along the corridor up to her bedroom.

Fortunately the door had been left ajar, so he carefully pushed it open and gave a few more steps to finally place the sleeping angel in her bed. After covering her small form with a warm quilt, Andrew sat down at the edge of the bed and tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear.

"Angel... I know you already forgave me for today... You have such a generous heart, baby... I just pray that I can honour the gift of being part of your existence."

He spent some more minutes there, watching over her in her sleep and praying that it was a peaceful one. Then, Andrew finally leaned over and brushed a loving kiss against her cheek and left the room in silence, closing the door behind him.


	9. Chapter 8

**CHAPTER 8**

The following day was rather calm at the farm and this peaceful atmosphere was reflected in the angels' work. Ian was away for the following two days and it gave Monica the chance to treat Grace without any of his unpleasant interruptions. Plus, she also took good care of the other horses and with Rafael's help, most of the animals could do some light exercises in the farm's open fields.

With Grace, Monica's care was much greater as she carefully guided her around with slow steps, noticing that at least she was not favouring her leg like she did on the previous day and it was due to the angel's intensive treatment that had lasted until late that night.

"I sense you are feeling a wee bit better, aren't you, sweet Grace?" she spoke, gently caressing her head, observing as the animal eyed her with instinctive trust. "Well, in that case, I brought you something that might cheer your day up a tiny bit more..."

Smiling, Monica searched in the pocket of her jacket and found a fresh red apple and Grace was quick to accept the little gift.

"I also happen to love apples, you know. Once, when I was still in annunciations, I managed to make an apple pie..." she spoke, with seriousness, and frowning slightly as the words came out of her mouth. "...well, actually, I sort of... tried to make it. Back at that time stoves were not as sophisticated as the ones we have nowadays and I could not control the cooking time properly."

She took two more steps and stood in front of Grace, observing she had finished eating her little snack. "Perhaps I can make a new attempt while I'm here. I noticed that there are many apple trees around."

Grace showed her gratitude by sniffling the angel's neck twice, causing Monica to giggle as she felt it a bit ticklish.

"Looks like someone is quite happy with her doctor!"

Andrew's voice made her turn around, her smile grew wider as she saw her dear friend approaching her with a matching smile. "She's not favouring her leg any longer, Andrew! The medicine worked just fine for her!"

He was quite pleased by her joy in being able to help the poor animal. Getting closer, he caressed Grace's soft fur, admiring the animal's beauty for a few moments. Then, he turned to look at his angelic friend, noticing the way her hopeful eyes shone with enthusiasm. "This is because you took care of her until late yesterday. Animals feel when they're much loved."

"If she keeps on responding the way she is, tomorrow we'll walk around the farm a little bit more than we did today."

He narrowed his eyes in a playful way. "And how far would that be?"

Slightly blushed, she lowered her head for a moment, and then raised it up again. "I promise we won't take more than just a few minutes..." she said, sheepishly.

Finding her embarrassment rather adorable, he tucked a few strands of her haphazard ponytail behind her ear. "Good. I'm glad to know."

"Will you wait for me so we can have lunch? I was already taking Grace back to her stable."

His smile faded a little and he shook his head. "I'm sorry, angel. I'm leaving for town right now. Caroline and I are going to the bank and she'll propose a deal to pay the farm debts based on a report I made yesterday."

He noticed how part of the joy on her face faded slowly and her smile became faint.

"I didn't know..."

"We'll probably take the whole afternoon and will be back only in the evening."

"Andrew?"

The conversation was interrupted by a female voice and they saw Caroline walking towards them.

"The car is ready. Do you think we could go now?" she said, with a friendly smile. "I'm quite anxious to see what the bank will think about this new agreement you've planned!"

Caroline gave a step closer to Grace and ruffled her mane. "Hey, sweetie! I can see Monica is taking very good care of you, huh?"

"She's doing just fine..." The Irish angel replied, happy to see the visible love for the animal in the woman's eyes, but at the same time not able to hide her disappointment at the fact that she would not have her dearest friend's company for lunch.

"I'm happy to hear that, Monica. Thank you for what you're doing." When she was finished bidding Grace good bye, Caroline turned to look at Andrew. "Shall we go?"

"Yes, sure." The blond angel replied, but before they left, he cupped Monica's face and stroked it with affection. "We'll be back by the end of the day, ok?"

"I will be waiting right here."

Despite her little attempt to joke, Andrew could see she was slightly frustrated at the fact that they would not have lunch together like they almost always did whenever they were working on an assignment together.

"Wish us luck, Monica!" The farm owner spoke, not missing the tender gaze exchanged by her two employees.

The Irish angel forced a slight smile and looked at her. "I'll pray that everything goes just fine, Caroline."

"Thanks."

Monica remained where she was and watched Andrew and Caroline walking towards Caroline's car, parked near the entrance gate, which could be seen at a distant. With his infinite gentleness, Andrew opened the door for her and then took his place on the passenger's seat. But right before he entered the car, he still waved the little angel goodbye. Only when the vehicle crossed the gate did Monica move, guiding Grace back at the stables.

The strange sensation that took over her spirit at their image going away from her was something she could not define, despite her obvious fondness for new words. For some reason, there seemed to be a mix of anguish and fear growing in her heart and the angel in human form wondered where those feelings were coming from.


	10. Chapter 9

**CHAPTER 9**

With Andrew's absence, the afternoon passed with impossible slowness for one Irish angel. Though they went hours on assignments without crossing paths, knowing he was away from the farm brought more than an inch of sadness to her heart and she was barely able to comprehend it. Yes, she always missed Andrew when they were separated, but he was out working on his part of the assignment; she had no reason to be upset.

Monica deducted that part of the reason for her grief was that she had been putting off the conversation she had told Andrew she would have with the Snyders'. Well, she had not entirely put it off. She had started to have the talk with Jonathan stating with her concerns about Grace but he had gently explained to her that Caroline handled all issues and concerns regarding all the horses. She had never even gotten to her concerns about Ian.

At the mere thought of him, a tremble went through her small body; something else she had trouble rationalizing in her mind. It was not really in her nature to be afraid of humans, but something about this one frightened her terribly. She wanted nothing more than to pour her heart out to her dearest friend about her feelings about the trainer, but yet, she couldn't bring herself to do it. She had told him as much about Ian as she felt willing to tell him. She didn't want Andrew upset because of her and her ride the other day had already caused him enough problems.

Without Andrew there, Monica skipped lunch and just stayed down in the stables, tending to and spending time with the horses. She even took Midnight out on a brief trot around the track, knowing better now than to venture any farther. She had always enjoyed riding and being able to was definitely a perk of this particular assignment.

"Hola Angelita," Rafael called to her as he stood by the fence, "The two of you look beautiful together."

Blushing slightly, the little angel guided the stallion over to the fence and quickly dismounted, "He's so lovely, isn't he? And such a gentleman." She patted Midnight's neck affectionately.

"Grace's leg looks good, Monica. She is healing nicely."

She nodded her head, "I just hope I can keep it that way."

He surveyed her in silence for a moment, trying to narrow in on an expression in her dark eyes he didn't understand but it left him feeling unsettled, "Is Ian back tomorrow?"

Lowering her eyes immediately, she started leading Midnight through the gate to take him back up the stables, "Yes. I think so. Andrew went into town with Caroline to present a solution on getting the farm out of debt," She deftly changed the subject, "Do you know if they have come back yet?"

"I haven't seen them yet but Margaret told me to tell you dinner is almost ready."

Shrugging slightly, Monica managed a small smile, "I'll be up in a bit. I want to cool Midnight off and check on Grace one more time."

"I can wait..."

"No, really. I'm fine. You go on ahead."

Rafael hesitated. He wanted to ask her something but he had no idea of what, "Angelita, estas bien?" He settled on asking her if she was all right. He already knew for some reason she wasn't, but he was at a loss for questions.

"I'm fine." Her voice sounded sad to her own ears and she blinked, wondering where it had come from, "I have a few more things to do. I'll just grab something later."

He was still doubtful, but it was obvious his friend was not in the mood to talk and he knew her well enough to not push her. There was only one angel who could succeed in getting Monica to open up when her heart was heavy, "Very well. I'll let Margaret know. I hope to see you later." Though her parting smile didn't reach her dark eyes, he touched her arm before he turned and headed up the hill toward the house.

Monica sighed as he left and continued her slow walk to the stables with Midnight right beside of her. She spent the next hour grooming him and then she slipped into Grace's stall to check her leg once more. Satisfied that the swelling had not returned, she rose to her feet and brushed her hand down the space between the horse's eyes.

"Ah Grace, what is the matter with me? How I wish you and your friends here were my only assignments..." Wrapping her arms around Grace's neck, she rested her cheek against the horse and closed her eyes for a moment, willing Andrew to return and for tomorrow to never arrive.

"Shall I bring your dinner down here so you and your friends can eat together?"

Releasing Grace, Monica's face instantly lit up in a smile, "Andrew."

She surprised him by leaving Grace's stall and flinging her arms around him, "I missed you." She murmured up against his chest.

Wrapping his arms around her in return, Andrew frowned slightly. Monica was probably the most affectionate angel he knew, but her greeting after he had only been away for a few hours made him wonder if something had upset her. But the thoughts vanished when her sweet face looked up at him with a smile, "How did things go at the bank? Were you able to work out an agreement with them?"

"As a matter of fact, we did, Angel. The farm is much more on track now," He brushed his fingers along her cheek, enjoying the happiness that sparkled in her eyes and wondering what made him so deserving of that joy being directed at him.

"Really? So the horses won't need to race?"

Her face was so open and so hopeful that Andrew felt loathe to reply, but when he did, he kept his voice as gentle as possible, "I'm afraid the arrangement with bank will not resolve all the farm's problems, sweetie. They still need a winner for the Preakness in a few weeks."

"Oh." For the second time today her expression held disappointment and he hated the fact that he had caused it both times.

"Have you talked to the Snyder's yet about Ian?" Andrew had a feeling that the trainer was part of her concern.

"I tried but Jonathan said I needed to talk to Caroline as she handles all the issues regarding the horses. Of course, she was gone all day today so I was hoping to talk to her tonight."

"I'm afraid she has gone out again, Angel. Something about dinner with a friend."

Monica emitted a little sigh. She would have to start tomorrow with Ian and end it with a talk with Caroline if things were not much improved, "Well, tomorrow then."

He looked around the stables and then met her eyes once more, "Are you all finished here? Margaret kept our dinner warm for us, though everyone else has already eaten."

"Yes, Andrew. I'm finished. Just two seconds..."

He watched through loving eyes as she slipped back into Grace's stall and gave the mare an affectionate hug around her neck, "I'll see you in the morning, beautiful." She whispered, giving the horse a kiss before turning back to him. His heart had thudded up against his chest at her sweet gesture and as she closed the stall door, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and kissed the top of her head, "I missed you too."

**x**

Monica only ate enough breakfast the next morning to keep Andrew from worrying. She had woken up at nearly five am with a knot in her stomach and she knew it was due to Ian's return today, but she had stayed in her room, watching the sunrise outside of her window until she heard Andrew stir in the room across the hall.

But the morning had been relatively uneventful. Caroline had not been at breakfast, so the little angel decided that she would give the trainer one more chance before she spoke her concerns to the owner. She had greeted Ian with a cheerful "Good morning" and though he didn't answer her, at least he hadn't snapped at her. Monica tried to tell herself this was progress.

Rafael had gone to run some errands and Ian had elected not to run Grace today, but instead was on the track working with Jumping for Joy. The little angel spent as much time as she could in the stables, cleaning out Grace's stall, trying to tell herself that what she didn't know about what Ian was doing couldn't upset her, but that ploy only worked for so long. She could hardly bear wondering if he was hurting the horse or causing her injury, so just after lunch, she slowly made her way down to the track.

What she saw there made her want to be sick.

Ian was galloping the filly at an alarming speed but what upset her much more was the whip he had in his hand, which he was repeatedly bringing down on the horse's hind quarters with a vengeance. Joy was running faster than Monica had ever seen a horse run before but still Ian brought that hateful whip down on her again and again. The horse was gleaming with sweat and Monica knew Ian had been down here with Joy for at least three hours. Certainly he could not have been riding her that hard for that long. She couldn't have survived it.

The angel's mind spun in several directions as she wondered what to do. Joy was running too fast for her run out onto the track but the situation soon took care of itself as Joy reached the end of her tolerance. Slowing down, she reared up, attempting to throw Ian from the saddle, but he held on and brought the whip down against her shoulder.

"Stop it!" Once again, Monica barely recognized her own voice as she screamed out the words and ducked below the fence, running as quickly as she could. Joy had reared back again and where the angel didn't fear for Ian, she did fear for Joy's safety. Ignoring her own safety, she stepped in front of the horse and reached up to grab the halter as Joy came back down. The horse was breathing hard and her body was slick and white with sweat. Monica's heart pounded as Joy rolled her eyes back, her anger apparent at the human who was on her back.

"What's the matter with you?" She was unable to keep the words from tumbling out, "You're going to kill her, running her like that and beating her!"

Dismounting, Ian grabbed her arm and attempted to move her away from the horse, "You're as dangerous as you are stupid! I told you to stay out of the way! I swear, I will have your job for this!"

Her arm felt like it was in a vice, but she refused to let go of Joy's halter, "You are the dangerous one, Ian. You are a danger to every animal on this farm!"

"You have no idea what you are talking about! They aren't pets, you moron! They have a job to do here and it is my job to make sure it happens! No one asked you for your opinion as it certainly doesn't matter much! I'm not having you get in my way anymore and I'm sure the owner will agree with me!"

Releasing her arm, he turned away from her quickly, his arm snapping and the whip making contact with her arm. Monica gasped in pain but Ian never turned around. A welt was already forming and she knew he would insist it had been an accident. The angel knew better.

"Hush," She whispered to Joy as her hand stroked the horse's head but the animal was already beginning to calm though she was still breathing heavily enough to worry Monica. Unable to focus on her fight with Ian, she walked Joy around the track to both cool her down and calm her.

Finally walking her up to the stables, the little angel first slipped into her jacket. Her arms showed the evidence of her battle with the trainer and it was the last thing Andrew needed to know about.


	11. Chapter 10

**CHAPTER 10**

Working in the study, Andrew's head suddenly snapped up as a white hot feeling of pain shot through him. He couldn't explain it, but it brought him to his feet. The feeling vanished almost immediately but yet his heart was beating a bit quicker.

"Father, what was that?" He murmured to himself, trying to center on where the strong emotions had come from, but they were already fading. Opening the door, he saw Rafael grabbing an apple out of the fruit bowl in the kitchen, "Rafael, have you seen Monica recently?"

"Si, amigo. I just got back but she was in the stable cleaning out Grace's stall. I didn't interrupt her as she was having an animated conversation with Grace."

The Hispanic angel's grin relieved Andrew's heart. She was fine. He had nothing to worry about.

XXX

"I'm sorry, Monica, but you have to stay out of his way."

Caroline was shaking her head in disapproval and the angel could barely fathom what she was hearing. Just yesterday the woman had been showing great affection and love for the horses but today she didn't seem to care at all for their well being.

"Caroline, please...he abuses the animals. He was beating Joy today-."

"Most trainers and jockeys use whips to get the animal up to speed. Surely you realize that."

"Not like this!" Monica willed her emotions to remain hidden. She didn't want to cry but the memory of today was too fresh in her mind, "It took me over an hour to calm Joy down and get her completely cooled off. He's going to kill one of them!"

"Look, Monica, I can understand your concern given your limited experience but Ian has produced us many winners in the past. His methods are proven and it isn't up to you to like them, but to respect them. If you have problems with how he trains then I would advise you to stay away from the track." Caroline turned her back on the angel and pulled on her jacket, "I have to go into town so is there anything else?"

Monica stared at the woman as if she had never known her at all. She had no idea how to stand by idle while this man abused some of the most beautiful of the Father's creation. It seemed that no one here was willing to listen to her and the only one that would, she couldn't bring herself to tell.

"Monica?"

"No." She replied softly, "Nothing else."

Caroline nodded curtly before grabbing her purse from the living room and walking out the front door.

The little angel stood there for a moment, fighting tears, not sure at all of what to do. Instinctively, her feet moved in the direction of Andrew's study, but she stopped short, hearing her dear friend talking to Jonathon behind the closed door. She didn't want to interrupt; he had so much work to do.

Hurrying past the door, she walked into the kitchen and nearly ran into Margaret.

"Monica? Honey, are you all right?" The woman caught the young veterinarian by the arms and missed the flinch of pain that Monica gave.

The Irish angel forced a smile, "Yes. I'm fine. Margaret, can you tell me how far the town church is? A friend of mine is filling in there for the pastor while he is on sabbatical. I wanted to go pay her a visit, but you see, I'm not very good with directions." She was loathe to leave the farm, but right now she just needed a small respite; she felt as if she could barely breathe.

"It's not far at all. I'll show you," Margaret led the way to the back door and outside, "At the fence, turn right and just stay on the road for a quarter mile. You can't miss the church. It will take you about fifteen minutes to walk it, but there are bicycles out behind the stables so you can get to and from quickly if you want." Reaching for the hook next to the door, she removed a leash, "And take Brady with you. He seems to love you and he knows the way back, not that you should have any trouble."

"Thank you. I will," She took the leash and then looked back at the woman, missing the concern in her eyes, "Will you tell Andrew when he is finished his meeting where I went and that I am fine? He worries about me but I'm all finished with the horses for right now and he is busy. I don't want him wondering where I am and he'll feel better knowing Brady is with me and that it isn't far."

"Of course I will," She looked closely at her young employee, "Enjoy your visit with your friend, Monica. I think the little break will do you good. You both have been working so hard since you arrived, so please, enjoy your time."

"Thank you," the little angel murmured, before she hurried down the steps, not surprised when Brady immediately ran over to greet her. She would welcome the company without having to explain anything.

X

Margaret had been right; the trip to the church was an easy one and on bicycle, it only took about eight minutes. The bike allowed her troubled mind to go back to the day so long ago when Andrew had taught her to ride one. He had been patient and ever protective, never once letting her fall and once she'd had the hang of it, they had ridden down the long country road together. The happy memories soothed some of the grief from her heart if only for a time.

Parking the bike outside of the small chapel, she and Brady walked slowly up the steps. The afternoon was warm but she kept the jacket over her clothes. She couldn't bear any questions right now.

The sanctuary was small and dim but there were candles burning on the altar, and the sun shone some light through the few stained glass windows. Sinking into a pew, the little angel gazed up at the altar and the cross that hung above it.

"Oh Father, please help me. I don't know what to do." Her words were a broken whispered plea and Brady, sensing her sadness, gave a small whine and laid his head over her knee.

"Miss Wings, what is that animal doing in a church?"

Startled, Monica rose to her feet to face her supervisor, "I...I'm sorry, Tess. He's so good; I promise he won't hurt anything."

The old angel frowned as she approached her charge and the border collie that stood at her feet, "Angel Girl, you are wound a bit tight this afternoon, baby. I was only teasing. Brady here is one of the Father's creations as well as the humans we are called to help."

"Then why do humans forget that, Tess? Why do they forget that the animals need them to care for them?"

Tess looked at her charge with concern, "Sit, baby, and tell me what is going on."

"It's Ian...he abuses the horses, Tess and Caroline doesn't want to hear it. The farm needs a winner so badly and I understand that and I understand that he has trained many winners there but his methods, Tess, they aren't good and they aren't kind."

"And that is why he has an angel to help him realize that, Angel Girl. It may not be easy but you have time."

Monica fell silent for a moment, her fingers running through Brady's fur to try to soothe herself, "He doesn't want to listen, Tess."

"Maybe not yet, but he will." Tess ducked her head to try to meet the young angel's dark eyes, "You've had hard assignments before, baby, and you are the one angel who has always been able to reach them and I have complete faith that this time will be no exception."

Silence again and Tess started to feel a little frustrated and concerned. Monica was one of the most optimistic angels in the heavenly realm, not to mention one of the most chatty, but now she felt as if she was trying to pull information from her, "Baby-."

"Andrew's part of the assignment is going really well," Finally she looked up and forced a cheerful smile, "He has been so much help to the family. He worked up some contracts with the bank to assist with the Snyder's debt and the bank is now working with them. He was the perfect angel for this assignment."

"Just as you are the perfect angel for your part of it," Tess stated firmly, "And don't you forget it."

Doe like eyes moved to the front of the sanctuary again, "I won't."

"Now that we got that settled, I was going to go grab some dinner. I've been up at the Special Needs school all afternoon helping them out as they are so understaffed and are trying to start more programs and I am ready for some human food, believe it or not. Would you care to join me?"

The thought of food made Monica feel slightly queasy, "I'm not really hungry, Tess but you go ahead. If it's okay with you, I'd just like to stay in here a little bit longer, then I need to get back so Andrew doesn't worry."

"Suit yourself, Miss Wings, but we'll talk again," Rising to her feet, she pulled her charge up with her and gave her a motherly hug, "You'll get through to him, baby. I know you will."

"Yes ma'am," Her eyes burned with tears but she blinked them back and smiled when Tess released her.

Once she and Brady were alone once more, she sank back down into the pew and closed her eyes tightly, "Father, please...if I am the perfect angel to help Ian and those horses, please show me how...because I don't think it's going very well."


	12. Chapter 11

**CHAPTER 11**

The night had already fallen when Monica left the old little chapel. But right now, she did not ride the bicycle she had borrowed earlier as there was no hurry to go back to the farm. Instead, the angel started a slow walk on the short road that led to the Snyder's property, pushing the yellow bike and having Brady walking right by her side – the animal had one eye on her and another on the path ahead of them like a loyal guardian.

"I know I should not runaway, after all it's my assignment." Monica spoke, returning her companion's inquisitive gaze. "But I confess that this small visit to the chapel brought me some peace and maybe some strength to move on."

She let out a tired sigh as the farm came into view. "I just hope Andrew isn't too worried. I don't want to tell him about the latest events as he too has many important things to solve."

Monica crossed the farm gate but instead of heading to the main house, she took another direction. Mrs Snyder had taken the bicycle from the warehouse and she wanted to put it back before joining the others.

"You go ahead, boy. I won't take too long!" She stroked Brady's soft fur and moved away, but instead of going to the house, the animal decided to sit down and wait for her.

The Snyder's property was undeniably a beautiful one, but after the sun was gone, it became rather sinister. Slightly uncomfortable with the darkness that now surrounded her, the little angel walked in between tall trees and bushes up to the warehouse.

But as she got closer, two very distinguished voices soon reached her ears, and she froze with concern.

"I don't care what the hell that Monica woman thinks or how she does her job! I just don't want her sticking her nose on my business and my business is to train those horses so that they can win that race!"

Ian glared at a fragile Caroline who kept her arms wrapped around herself and could not even face him. "She told me you were pushing too hard and was afraid that you could end up killing Joy."

"That stupid woman doesn't know anything about my job, I've told you that before! These animals mean money and what I'm trying to do is to assure that this money comes to us!"

"Can't you just slow down a little? I know she spoke to dad earlier before talking to me and I'm afraid she'll do it again if I don't listen to-"

"Stop acting so stupid, Caroline! If this moron insists on this matter just fire her!"

Monica flinched at Ian's angry tone of voice and found it strange that Caroline allowed him to talk like that with her.

The young woman ran her hand through her hair with an expression of uncertainty on her face. "She's doing a good job with Grace. I saw that her leg is getting better."

"And she better do a good job because I'm gonna ride Grace on that championship."

"Do you think she'll be able to run?"

"She _will_ run. If she gets tired after the race, it won't matter anymore."

The Irish angel felt a lump forming on her throat at those words.

"What do you mean, Ian?" Caroline's shocked expression made him rethink what he had just said. His expression softened a little despite the fact that his eyes still held much cruelty.

The man approached Caroline and held her chin rather abruptly. "Look, I know what I'm doing. How many times have I been wrong?"

"Never..." she spoke, her blue eyes staring back at his dark ones in some sort of a trance. "You're never wrong, Ian..."

His lips curved in an evil smile. "You're an intelligent girl, Caroline!"

He lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her hardly, somewhat possessively, and apparently with no other intention other than satisfying his own need.

Monica shook her head, horrified with her discovery. Now everything made sense to her: Caroline's reluctance in discussing Ian's violent methods, his position as a horse trainer despite the continuous warnings of the jockeys that had worked there and his trust that nothing would happen to him.

"Just promise me you'll reduce the training time..."

He sighed with impatience, letting go off her rather abruptly. "Keep on acting stupid like that and you'll end up with no farm! And I'm not gonna be around either!"

Visibly hurt, and with tears filling her eyes, she looked back at him. "Sometimes I wonder why I'm still with you..."

His ironic and intimidating gaze caused her to lower her eyes. "Because you know what's good for you!" he said, turning around to leave the area without being seen.

Caroline stood still for a few moments, as if forcing back the tears that threatened to fall at any instant. The young woman finally moved but her short walk up to the house was interrupted when she heard her name again.

Except that now it wasn't Ian.

"Monica?" she looked surprised and scared, fearing that the new veterinarian had been there for too long.

"I want to talk with you..." the little angel spoke, slowly approaching her. And Caroline did not miss the disapproving and shocked expression on her face. She knew about her and Ian.

"It's late, Monica... If you want to talk, then we can do it in the morning, I-"

"Why are you doing this to yourself?" The angel ignored her attempt to escape from that conversation.

"I don't understand... What is it exactly you're talking about?"

"In the short time I've been here I learned that Ian has no respect for any other living creature on Earth other than himself!"

"Yes, you said it all. You've been here for a very short time and should know better before going around talking about other people!" She was defensive, but Monica was not intimidated. She felt an almost unconscious need to speak to that young woman the truth that was in her heart.

"You don't deserve to be treated like this..."

"You know nothing about me, Monica."

"I know that you have a loving family. I know of your love for the animals in this farm, the farm you were raised and that now you're fighting not to lose. Someone who holds so much affection to the family and to the place where they were born has to be treated with utmost respect."

Monica's voice was soothing despite the seriousness of the situation, and brought so much comfort that for a moment Caroline lowered her eyes and gave up her little façade.

"He helped me keep all those things you've just mentioned... This farm... it wouldn't exist if it weren't for him."

"It's an odd way to show that he honours what matters to you."

"He's a good man... a strong man, Monica. And never lost any competition... Ian made those horses true champions."

"If these are the arguments you use to convince yourself to remain in this... relationship then perhaps you should start making questions out of them..."

The Irish angel's inquisitive gaze seemed to be able to see deep inside her soul. "I don't get it... What question are you talking about?"

"How does his presence make you feel now?"

Caroline averted her eyes for staring at the angel made her see the truth she tried to hide even from herself. "It's complicated..."

"It shouldn't be."

Trying to avoid more questionings, which would eventually lead her up to the sorrow caused by Ian's mental and somewhat physical abuse, the young woman took a deep breath, meaning to put an end on that conversation. "Look, Monica, just because Andrew treats you like a princess it doesn't mean that every men in the world has to act like that too. Has it occurred you that people are different?"

She started to move away from her but Monica made on last attempt to carry on with that conversation. "Caroline..."

"And I would appreciate it if you did not comment what you saw here with other people. For the sake of your own job."

The woman's final words made her gave up following her. Monica had seen enough already, and had also said enough to at least start touching the woman's heart. Now she knew that her assignment there was much more complex that what it looked like. Caroline was the one to be saved and the little angel was determined to do everything she could to set her free from Ian's hands.


	13. Chapter 12

**CHAPTER 12**

Andrew had been standing by the window for the last half hour, eyes scanning the farm in search of a probably quite scared little angel who would suddenly emerge from the darkness that surrounded the house. When Mrs Snyder told him about Monica's little journey to the nearest chapel, he was worried – but then, he would always worry about not having his angelic friend around when they were on Earth. What put his heart at ease was the fact that she had gone to meet Tess and that the chapel was quite near. Plus, Brady was with her and the friendly dog had indeed accepted the position as her protector.

Footsteps outside made Andrew more alert but seconds later he saw that Caroline was the one coming towards the main house.

"Good evening, Andrew." She greeted, with a serious expression on her face.

The blond angel politely replied, looking at her for a moment and not missing the worried look in her eyes. "Good evening, Caroline. Is everything alright?"

"Y-yes... I was just... I'm just a little tired, is all. It was a busy day." She looked at her mother, who just came into the living room with a friendly smile. "Hi, mom."

"Oh, I'm glad that you're here. Now we'll just have to wait for Monica so we can have dinner."

Andrew had turned his vigilant eyes back to the yard and let out a sigh of relief when Monica's small form finally came into view, always followed by her loyal guardian. Brady could not give two steps without looking up at her, as if asking if everything was alright.

"Here she comes..." he said, heading to open the door for her, a smile now playing on his lips.

Caroline watched him for a moment and then turned to look at Margaret. "I'm not really hungry, mom, I ate something outside."

"Oh..."

Mrs Snyder was going to say something else but her daughter left the room just afterwards. Monica climbed the porch steps and gave Brady some good scratch behind the ears before coming inside the house.

"Thank you very much for you company! We can do this some other day, what do you think, huh?"

A wet kiss against her cheek was her reply, and it managed to elicit a small giggle from her.

"I guess it means a yes..."

Andrew's voice made her raise her head and when those doe-like brown eyes met his green ones he felt a certain melancholy he could not understand.

"Everything alright?" He asked, offering a supportive hand.

Accepting his help, Monica rose to her feet. "I saw Tess at the chapel!" She informed, with a slight smile and avoiding to answer to his question. At least talking about her dear friend and supervisor would help erase the sadness she was feeling right now.

"I'm glad you found her there, angel. She must have been happy to see you." He smiled warmly at her, purposefully keeping her hand in his. "Let's go to have dinner? Margaret is waiting for you."

Monica's eyebrows knitted together in worry as he led her to inside the house. "Did I keep you waiting for long?"

"Oh, of course not, dear! I finished it just now." The woman greeted her with a smile and then winked. "And Andrew here would not eat until he saw you crossing that door!"

Smiling, they headed to the dining room, where Mr Snyder was already waiting for their guests. Rafael had been invited as well, and conversation flew relatively easily to most of them. But Andrew could see the slight apathy in those sweet brown eyes that were now downcast. His dearest friend was staring at the food with no will to eat and one could notice she was tired – more tired than she would normally be.

Once dinner was over, the blond angel was relieved to see at least a glimpse of satisfaction on her meek face as Mr Snyder brought in a mug filled with her favourite drink. Sometime later, after they helped Mrs Snyder tidy up the dining room, the angels headed to their guest house, and if the day had been a tough one, now Monica was glad that at least she could cross that dark path having Andrew's arms around her shoulders; both he and Rafael talking about their assignments there.

She did not take part in the conversation, however. That would mean revealing what had been going on with Ian and Caroline and it was last thing she wanted to happen. At least for a while.

Monica bid her angelic friends good night and quickly headed to her room, leaving a worried Andrew behind. She changed into warm green flannel pyjamas – with small coffee cups designed on them, but instead of lying in bed, she took a seat by the window; knees brought up to her chest and arms wrapped around her legs. The fireflies dancing outside, somewhat defying the darkness and shadows, caught her attention for a while.

A light knock on the door followed by a familiar voice took her out of her reverie, though.

"Angel?"

Andrew stood by the door and her slight smile was an invitation for him to enter.

"Hullo, Andrew..."

The blond angel walked up to her and also took a seat by the window, opposite to her. "I went to drink some water and sensed you were not sleeping..."

"I guess I slept a lot these days... to compensate the jet leg effect from turning from angel to human forms..."

Her little joke made him chuckle, but he still could sense there was something wrong.

"I noticed you barely ate at the dinner..."

"I was not very hungry, you know. Besides, Margaret is very generous with food... It reminded me of Tess."

Nodding his head, he kept on trying to find out what had been puzzling his beloved friend. "You two talked?"

"We did... It was so good to visit the chapel and hear her voice, Andrew... It was like going back Home for a little while because this is what that small chapel looks like... It's like a tiny bit of Home here on Earth where angels can go and feel the Father's love... and I felt like I needed a little break from the farm... even though this place is beautiful too..." she tried to explain her reasons without having to lie to him. Lying was never an option, especially to an angel of truth. "Does that sound confusing?"

The questioning look on her face was particularly adorable. And she would never sound confusing to him.

"Of course not, baby."

"I saw you were busy talking to Mr Snyder about your job so I did not want to interrupt you two..." she added, fearing he would feel excluded from her little outing.

But Andrew wasn't. Much on the contrary: it was possible to see much tenderness through his shining green eyes. "Margaret told me that too. And the fact that you had a bodyguard with you kept me from worrying. A lot."

Eliciting a tiny smile from her, he reached for her hand. "Is there anything else you want to talk about, angel? I can sense some worry in your spirit I cannot fully understand..."

Monica lowered her eyes and looked at their intertwined fingers. "I guess I've been trying to find the right direction in this assignment... And so far I'm not totally certain I'm following the right path..."

Andrew nodded, not wanting to push her into voicing what she was feeling. She would eventually open her heart to him.

"You're following your heart, angel. And I don't know a more trustable path other than that." She turned her eyes back at him; dark brown pools filled with so much affection and gratitude that no words were needed. "Do you think you could get some sleep now?"

"I guess I can try..."

She let him guide her up to bed and once she was comfortably settled, he pulled the covers up to her shoulders. "Warm enough?"

Monica nodded her head. "Thank you."

"Take some good rest, angel. You have work to do early in the morning."

She blinked back at him, looking like an obedient little girl. "I promise I'll try."

Andrew lowered his face and brushed a loving kiss against her forehead. "Sleep well, angel. Have sweet dreams if you can."

"You too, Andrew."

He still kissed the back of her hand and finally left the room, hoping that whatever was troubling her would have less impact on her on the following morning.

It took a long time before Monica started to drift off into a light sleep. Not even the silence of the night managed to accelerate her human body sleeping process, even though it helped her relax, along, of course, with Andrew's loving presence a while earlier.

Her eyes were shut when she felt the whip mark against her skin burning. And then Ian's angry voice reached her ears like a threatening thunder.

"You stupid woman! Get out of my way!" he screamed, before slashing the whip once again, but now against her face. She moaned with pain and averted her eyes from him to look at Amazing Grace, who was favouring on her leg and could barely walk. A moment later, Ian was riding her and hitting the animal with so fury that suddenly Grace was bleeding.

"You can't do this! Stop it!" she shouted, trying to reach them and put herself in front of the horse.

"Outta my way!"

"Stop it! You'll kill her!"

"And might as well kill you too if you spoil my plans!"

Grace nickered and raised her front legs as he kept on hitting her.

"No! Stop! Please, Father, make him stop!"

Ian kept on shouting at her but now she could hear another voice together, a much more familiar one, trying to calm her down.

"Shh... Angel, it's ok... I'm here..."

"Andrew..."

Her voice was low now, but she was still wrapped up in the nightmare, so Andrew elected to hold her gently, so that she knew, even unconsciously, that there was an angel of God watching over her.

"It's a bad dream, Monica... You're having a bad dream..." he spoke softly against her ear. And in an attempt to hold her a tiny bit tighter, the blond angel ended up touching her injured arm.

Still asleep, Monica flinched almost immediately and whimpered in pain at his touch, pulling her arm back to her. Andrew frowned with concern at that reaction, and very carefully raised the sleeve of her pyjamas to investigate its cause.

His heart broke when he saw the angry red mark crossing her forearm and at the realisation that the soft pressure he had applied against it he had just hurt her even more.

"Oh, angel, I'm sorry... I'm so sorry, I didn't know!" he spoke, feeling terribly guilty and also scared at what he could see now. "Father, what happened to her?"


	14. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

The shy sunrays that crossed the window glass came to rest on the wooden floor, announcing the beginning of a new day in Safe Haven. It was still cold at that time of the morning but the cotton like clouds up in the sky were slowing moving away, making room for a warm and sunny weekend.

With her eyes still closed, Monica stirred a little, feeling surprisingly more comfortable in her bed now than what she did on the previous nights. Curious brown pools fluttered open a few instants later, and she could detect the sunlight pouring inside her room at the same time she felt a pair of strong arms gently holding her small form.

And it was then that she understood why the accommodations seemed so cosy. Monica opened her sleepy eyes and slowly lifted her head up from Andrew's chest to meet his affectionate gaze back at her. He had always found the confused expression on her face whenever she woke up rather endearing.

"Andrew..."

"Hey... Good morning, angel." He spoke, removing the strands of hair that had fallen on her face.

"Is it too late?" She wanted to know, frowning with concern at the realization it was already morning.

"No, angel, it's still too early..." he stroked her long auburn hair. "... you had a nightmare." His words were cautious, as he didn't want the memories of her terrible dream coming back to her mind.

He watched as her eyes fell and she looked at an invisible point ahead of her. "That's true, I did..." Flashbacks were already crossing her mind like the memories of a horror movie. She raised her head up to look at him again a second later. "But then it stopped... It was you, wasn't it?"

"I felt your heart... the fear in it."

"Thank you..." she spoke, and her gratitude was reflected in the spark of her eyes.

Andrew gave her shoulders a gentle squeeze and kissed the top of her head. "I prepared your breakfast. Thought you'd like some genuine mocha latte and blueberry pancakes."

Her lips curved in a sleepy smile. "Sounds lovely..."

The blond angel gently pulled away and climbed off the bed and only then Monica noticed he was wearing jeans and t-shirt. He had been awake for some time.

"I won't be long..."

As she sat down in bed, Monica watched with questioning eyes as he disappeared through her bedroom door for a few moments to return holding tray with breakfast ready for her. The smell of coffee filled the air and it was all that was missing to make her fully alert. Once Andrew deposited the tray in front of her, the little angel grabbed the mug of mocha with childlike excitement.

"What about you?" she asked, under his attentive gaze. At least her appetite had returned and he was glad to see it.

Andrew winked at her. "While I was preparing your breakfast I stole one of your pancakes and made myself some hot chocolate!"

"Hum... Will I ever convince you how tasteful a good mug of mocha latte is?"

Chuckling at the cheerful tone in her voice, he shook his head. "I highly doubt it, angel!"

A few minutes later, when she was finished, Andrew removed the tray from her bed and still wiped the little moustache that had formed above her lips, eliciting a small giggle from her.

"You are way too protective, Andrew!"

"Just doing what I can do best, angel..."

She observed as the blond angel placed the tray over a desk and took a small box that had been there. He brought it in his hands and sat down at the edge of her bed.

"What is it?" Monica wanted to know, looking at it with curiosity.

"It's a first aid kit."

Her eyebrows knitted together in a slight frown. "A first aid kit? What for?"

"To treat this injury in your arm."

She felt her heart skip a beat for a moment. Andrew had found that out, despite her efforts to hide it from him and from everyone.

"I accidentally touched your arm during the night and it hurt you. I have to apologise for that..." he told, preparing the first aid material to start treating her wound.

Monica didn't know what to say and she knew that through his casual talk, he was demanding an explanation from her. The little angel reached out for his hand and squeezed it gently, her eyes staring back at his with nothing but love and pleading for forgiveness. "You don't have to apologise for anything, Andrew. There was no way you could know that. And I am the one who owns you an apology, I should have told you."

He turned her hand so her palm was up and very carefully lifted the sleeve of her pyjamas; the wound had gotten uglier than it was on the previous day and only now he could see it in day light did the blond angel realise the damage it had caused. Andrew felt his jaw clench at the image and had to take a deep breath before starting to clean it.

"It'll sting a little..." he said, not looking at her as he was now concentrated in alleviating some of her pain. Noticing how she flinched as he ran a piece of cotton embedded in alcohol along her skin, the blond angel tried to make his movement as soft as possible, not bearing the idea of hurting her again.

"It's alright... It doesn't even hurt so bad..." she spoke, aware of his fear.

Monica watched as he proceeded in cleaning up the wound and then putting some antibiotic ointment over it. Finally, he wrapped a white gauze around it so it was protected – Andrew wondered if she could need some stitches, but the thought was already too scary and painful. So he elected to give it intense treatment himself.

"How did that happen, Monica?" he finally made the question that had been on his mind since late at night, while he held her tightly and prayed for the nightmare to be over.

"It was an accident." She replied, facing him and determined not to tell him the whole truth. "I was with Joy and got distracted. Too distracted as she was agitated and I tried to remove her saddle... Everything happened too fast."

It was partially true and he frowned with concern at the seriousness of the situation, imagining what else could have happened. "Joy was nervous? Why? She looked so calm..."

"Ian had been training her and he pushed a little too much."

Also, it was totally true.

"I understand... Did you get hurt some other place?"

"I didn't... And... I think I should start working already..." Monica gently withdrew her arm, smiling back at him. "Thank you... For everything..."

She inched closer and wrapped her arms around his neck, giving him a warm embrace that could not even begin to measure how grateful she was for having the angel right by her side whenever she needed.

What the little angel didn't see was the worried look on his face. Andrew knew his dear friend would not lie to him, first due to her nature and second because there were no secrets between the two of them. But in his heart, the blond angel could feel something was very wrong and that thought alone was terrifying.

X


	15. Chapter 14

CHAPTER 14

Differently from the previous day, the Saturday morning went by rather calm for Monica and her dearest charges. Under a warm early spring sun, and most importantly, due to Ian's absence as it was his weekend off, she had the opportunity to work on all the horses and even the wee foals managed to receive her attention.

Her hiding Ian's behaviour from Andrew kept haunting her like a constant nightmare and made her feel extremely guilty. But the consequences of her telling the blond angel that the trainer had "accidentally" slashed his whip against her arm during an argument could be terrible. They were angels before anything, but she had witnessed Andrew's anger at cruelty and injustice. And she knew he too could end up forgetting about his true nature.

Monica finished the ice treatment on Grace's leg and kept the material in a box. They were both out in the field as she believed it was also good for the animal to feel the nature around her while she was being treated. _"She'll feel more comfortable in open air." _ Was what she told Rafael before he took one of the horses for a gentle ride around the farm.

"I promise I won't allow anyone to treat you bad, sweet Grace." She spoke in a low voice, tenderly combing the horse's soft hair. "And even if you don't go back to the racings, you'll have a fine long life in this farm. Andrew will find a way to save the property so you and your friends can live happily ever after."

She received a friendly sniffle in the nape of her neck and it managed to elicit a giggling from her. Not too far, a young foal seemed quite excited about the possibility to run free with his siblings along the fields and the angel kept watching them.

Even nature looked brighter when Ian was not around.

X

"Excuse me, Andrew?"

The blond angel raised his eyes from the documents that were spread over the desk to see Margaret coming in. She was bringing a small tray with a glass of orange juice and deposited it on the table. "I imagined you'd like to make a short pause."

"Thank you, Mrs Snyder." He gladly accepted the offer with a friendly smile.

The old woman looked at the papers and folders over the desk and back at him. "You and Monica are very hard workers. We were very blessed that you applied to our advertisement on the newspaper. We were becoming desperate."

"This farm doesn't deserve to be sold, Mrs Snyder. It's such an amazing place and we'll do everything we can to help your family overcome these hard times."

"I'm sure you will, son." She made a short pause, still with a smile playing on her lips, as if choosing the best words. Sensing Andrew's questioning gaze back at her, Margaret started to speak again. "You see, Andrew... It's Saturday and we think you and Monica could take a break from your duties."

He reflected for a moment about that thought and came to the conclusion that it pleased him: his sweet co-worker did deserve a small break and he had made a mental note to try get to the bottom of the incident with her arm. "Well, thanks, Mrs Snyder, we-"

"There is this very good restaurant not far from here where Jonathan and I use to go once in a while... Dutchess Daughter, that's the name." She gently cut him off. "On Saturday there's even live music and there is a dance floor that goes up to the outside..."

"Sounds... lovely, Mrs Snyder..." he spoke, not yet realising where the woman wanted to get at.

"I'm sure Monica would love it!" Margaret finally spoke, with a smile of mischief that caused Andrew to finally laugh.

Nodding his head, the blond angel saw in it the opportunity he had been waiting for since early in the day, when he sensed there was something his dearest friend was not telling him. "I'm afraid you're totally right! Monica loves dancing."

Pleased to hear it, as her plan had successfully been accomplished, the woman rose to her feet. "So I take it you two are not having dinner with us tonight?"

Still laughing, Andrew nodded his head. "I guess we're not. It'll depend on her."

"She's in the field right behind the stables with Grace and the foals. I believe now is the perfect time to make a short pause from your calculations!"

X

It did not take Andrew too long to find his angelic friend, and he purposefully delayed his walk up to her just to observe the joy in those beautiful doe-like eyes as she dealt with the animals of the farm. The young foals seemed to have found a new yet different friend and so did the stallions and mares that inhabited the place. Monica was feeding the youngest ones with carrots and other legumes and also telling them the importance of eating properly so they could grow strong and beautiful.

At the same time, Brady kept an eye on her but elected to keep some distance from the horses – one could even say he was jealous of his mistress. The friendly dog only rose to his feet when he felt someone was coming closer, but he didn't even bark as he saw who it was.

His slight movement called Monica's attention and she turned around to see her dear friend walking towards her.

"I can see you have made many more valentines!" he joked, glad to see her smile. She looked more relaxed and the nightmare of the previous night seemed to have been forgotten. It was better this way.

"They're the cutest wee things, don't you think? Beau, Ricky, Jimmy, Kitty, Jasmine and Rascal. They are all going to be beautiful stallions and mares."

"Yeah, they're lovely." He touched the littlest one, who was still chewing an apple from Monica's hand.

"What about Grace?" His eyes searched for the mare, who was walking around not far from them.

"She's getting better, Andrew. See? The swollen on her leg didn't come back. Now she has to do some exercising to make her muscles stronger, and it has to be done little by little."

He nodded his head, not missing her enthusiasm. "Well, she looks happy about it!"

"I know!"

Chuckling, and noticing she finished to feed the foal, he reached for her arm so he could check on the work he had done in the morning. "How is it?"

"Oh, it's much better. I don't feel any pain at all."

"I'm glad to hear it, angel." He turned to look at her eyes now. "Do you think you'll keep your friends up until late?"

"Oh, no. We'll even end the activities a wee bit early today..." she winked at him cheerfully and secretly glad he had changed the topic of the conversation. "After all, it's Saturday, they deserve a little break!"

"Well, good that you think so because I was wondering if you have plans for later!"

"Plans?"

The adorable way she turned from a cheerful to a confused little angel was particularly endearing to him.

He removed some strands of hair from her face. "There is this restaurant in the town not far from here. I heard they serve very good food and there's live music. I was wondering if I could have the honour of your company?"

The smile that formed on her face was precious. "Oh, but that sounds lovely, Andrew!"

Even unconsciously, she was glad to have a little break from the farm. Plus, she and Caroline had a rough conversation on the previous night and she was still thinking of a time to reach the young woman as she had been avoiding her for the day.

"Be ready at 7 then, angel." Andrew spoke, before giving her hand a gentle squeeze.

"I will!"


	16. Chapter 15

**CHAPTER 15**

Andrew paced from the couch to the window and for the third time glanced at his pocket watch. He had been in the living room of the guest house for almost half an hour, waiting for his dearest friend to get ready for their evening out. They were going to an informal, yet, pleasant restaurant so he elected to wear a green shirt, which Monica would certainly think matched the colour of his eyes, Khaki pants and brown leather shoes. It had been an unreasonably warm spring day and he was grateful for that as the weather in the countryside always tended to be a bit chilly after the sunset.

He was about to go up to Monica's room and knock on the door, when he finally listened it open. On the following instant a bright eyed Monica came along the corridor wearing a lovely coloured sleeveless dress that went up to her feet, which were settled comfortably in a pair of beige sandals. In her hand, a white cardigan in case it got a bit chilly, but they highly doubted it. Her shiny, long auburn hair was wavy from the middle up to its tip, which curved in graceful locks, and on her face just the slightest amount of makeup – a pale pink lipstick and some blush, as she didn't need anything else.

Andrew could not hide his enchantment as he saw his angelic friend so lovely dressed – Monica was naturally charming and would always catch his attention whenever she was around, but it was in occasions like that he could not help taking his eyes from her, as if so much beauty hypnotised him.

His green pools shone with affection as she approached him with a lovely smile. "I'm sorry, I guess I'm a wee bit late."

"It was worth every second, angel!" he said, taking her hand and lifting it up to his lips.

She gave her shoulders a tiny shrug. "I could not decide on what to wear, especially concerning the sandals..." The way she suddenly frowned was particularly endearing to him. "... Do you think this is way too human?"

Chuckling, he guided her up to the door and opened it up for her. "No, angel, I think this is your lovely way to state how much you like this equally lovely human form of yours!"

Noticing she was blushing at his words, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders as she smiled back at him. "I don't know about that... But I do know you look incredibly charming yourself tonight!"

The blond angel shook his head, embarrassed about her praising. "Well, I have to be presentable in order to take this beautiful angel of God out to dinner!"

Laughing, they entered the red Cadillac that had been so gently lent to them.

The Dutches Daughter was ten minutes away from the farm. Like Margaret had said, it was a place involved in a warm and cosy atmosphere. Dimly lit, the restaurant tables were covered with white tablecloths and each of them had an equally white candle on. The shiny wooden floor spread up to its other side and there was a lovely fireplace lit up in the corner.

"Oh, Andrew... It's such a lovely place..." Monica spoke as they entered.

"Yes, it's quite beautiful. I have to thank Margaret for giving the hint!" He agreed, not missing how her sparkling brown pools surveyed the area as he placed his hand on the small of her back and the host guided them to their table – the one in the corner near the fireplace.

"You know what it reminds me?" The angel said, once they were seated. "Of our cabin... Especially because of these wooden walls and the floor..."

"You're right, angel. I'm glad it brings you good memories."

She finished inspecting the surroundings and looked back at him; doe-like eyes sparkling with joy. "It does! Do you think we'll be back there soon?"

"Well, I hope so, angel, but I'm afraid it'll only happen after we finish this assignment. And it might take a little time."

He did not miss the way her smile slowly faded away as she nodded her head. "That's true..."

Andrew reached for her hand across the table and gave it a gentle squeeze. "But I have a feeling that this is where we'll spend the free time we'll be granted after accomplishing this assignment!"

Smiling warmly, he winked at her and for a moment made her sad thoughts disappear as a shy smile was a response to his remark. "I can hardly wait..." Watching as her expression turned from a dreamy to a curious one, Andrew waited until she spoke again. "... it was very kind of Tess to lend you her car so we could come here, don't you think?"

He chuckled at the thought and cleared his throat. "Well... She didn't actually 'lend' it, you see, angel... Let's say she still will be informed about the loan."

Now highly amused, she looked at him in disbelief. "You stole it?"

"Nah, I didn't 'steal' it... I just borrowed it when she was already sleeping!" He said, not a tiny bit worried about the lecture he would receive from the supervisor on the following day. "And in her human form, she goes to bed early."

Giggling, she covered her mouth in shock, "Andrew!"

The waitress brought them the menu and the blond angel watched with tenderness as Monica bit her lower lip trying to decide on what she would order.

"Can I make a suggestion?"

"Oh, of course you can, Andrew."

"We could have Chicken Chesapeake, which is grilled chicken topped with crab imperial."

"It comes with sweet potatoes and a vegetable medley." The waitress added, mentally approving his choice.

The little angel smiled, pleased with his indication. "It sounds lovely."

"And what would you like to drink?" The young attendant wanted to know, clearly pleased to see the couple's interaction and the evident affection for each other in their eyes. "Merlot is an excellent red wine."

Monica turned worried eyes from the employee to Andrew and he could see she was quite embarrassed about an incident involving herself and alcoholic drink a few years before, which fortunately Andrew had been the only angel to witness.

But her dear friend was aware of her discomfort and under no circumstance would allow her to go through something like that again. "Thanks, but we'll have ginger ale."

The waitress took note of their order and left them go on talking. Monica's eternal chatter and her observations about everything that surrounded them would always fill Andrew's heart with love and with the certainty that there wasn't any other sweeter creature other than his angelic friend.

Sometime later…

"The food was wonderful, Andrew. You couldn't have made a better choice!" Monica exclaimed, now savoring mango ice cream with chocolate topping as a dessert.

"I'm glad it put that smile on your face again, angel." He pointed, taking her free hand once again. "I noticed you've been quite melancholic during the day…"

She averted her eyes from his green ones and focused on their entwined hands; dessert forgotten for that moment as she knew what he was getting at. "I… worry about the Snyder's… they have been treating us so well. I really want to accomplish this assignment successfully."

"That's true. But sometimes I'm under the impression that this assignment in particular is making you slightly more worried than usual, am I right?" He was careful with his words, not missing the way she looked at her almost empty cup of ice cream, as if searching for the best answer to those questionings.

There was so much she would like to voice to him; her anguish at seeing Caroline exposed to Ian's abusive behavior, the fact that the trainer had no respect towards Caroline or the animals that he was supposed to be in charge of and Ian's aggressive attitude towards her. The "incident" with her arm had been a warning about what that man was capable of and she wondered what could happen if and when they were faced with each other again, which would certainly happen.

The point was that this was her assignment, not Andrew's, and she did not want to let him know everything that was going on not only because it would disturb him while he took care of his assignment but also and most importantly because she feared her friend's reaction regarding the trainer. It could ruin his assignment just the same and Andrew could even be punished for interfering in matters that were not his to resolve.

The little angel gave a slight smile and looked at him again, those beautiful brown eyes melting his heart away as they held much love and tenderness. "I guess I've gotten attached already…" She confessed, slightly blushed, "Like you said I would… Plus, I know the future of the farm depends on those horses, especially on Grace, and I would like her to become what she was a few months ago… Although at the same time I have to confess that I'd much rather have her running freely in the land other than in a race…"

He nodded his head, glad to see some progress in his plan. "You told me that you don't agree with the treatment she's receiving…"

"I'm…" Monica was visibly shaken at that comment and was preparing to say something when the band that took weekend presentations there started to play a soothing melody, as an invitation for the couples to go to the dance floor.

The blond angel watched as her eyes quickly came to rest on the couples that were slowly getting to the floor, lulled by the slow music. And he knew that whatever he wanted to find out would have to wait, as in his heart he could sense her wish – which matched his so perfectly.

"I think it's been a while since we last did danced!" he said, smiling warmly at her and squeezing her hand.

Relieved with the interruption, the little angel smiled back at him. "Too long in my opinion."

Visibly pleased for that moment, Andrew rose to his feet and kissed the back of her hand. "May I have this dance?"

"You certainly may…"

The blond angel helped her to her feet and gently guided her up to the dance floor, where he wrapped one arm around her waist, bringing her closer to him, and held her hand against his heart. Monica gladly welcomed the contact, as she placed her free hand over his shoulder and allowed him to guide her. With the closeness, Monica's sweet perfume immediately filled his lungs and made him wonder if he should thank their Creator for granting him that unique moment once again – he could even think that he had existed only for that.

Monica felt her human form immediately relax under his gentle touch. Being in Andrew's arms had always given her the impression that she was back at her Home; it was as if she was protected and much loved even in the darkest places down on Earth, even in the most difficult hour. As they started swaying with the music – definitely the most elegant and beautiful couple in there, Monica rested her head against his strong shoulder and closed her eyes, allowing herself to enjoy that precious moment and put aside the worries and troubled feelings concerning that assignment.

"Thank you for the lovely night…" she whispered, after some instants in a pleasant silence.

As she did not raise her head from his shoulder so immediately, Andrew turned his face, gently rubbing his cheek against the side of her head. "I am the one who should thank, angel." He said, kissing her temple lovingly.

The soft contact finally made Monica pull away and her sparkling eyes met his green ones; faces just a few inches apart. "I beg to differ. You are always plotting those lovely outings whenever we are here. I don't think my journey around Earth would be just as precious without all those moments we spend together, Andrew."

"It is you who makes them precious, Monica. All those moments… they're a gift."

"I keep each of them in my heart…"

He grinned at her, closely admiring the meekness of her Gaelic features – the dimples on her cheeks and chin, the outline of her jaw and those rosy cheeks matching equally rosy lips, the shiny brown eyes and slightly upward nose… all of it framed by long auburn tresses which were now tickling his hand as he kept it on her back.

"I'm afraid there will be much more for you to keep, sweet angel!" He joked, giving her small form a gentle squeeze.

"That is an assignment I'll be happy to accomplish!" she replied, both of them laughing afterwards.

There were a few more dances before the two angels returned to their table and Andrew was more than pleased to see the happy sparkle in her dark eyes that had been absent for the past few days. It was that same sparkle that made him loathe to try to once again get to the bottom of her recent sadness.

He felt almost guilty when he ordered her a mocha latte as way of an introduction to the subject once more, especially seeing her excitement when her favorite drink arrived. He waited until she had taken a few blissful sips, before he reached for both of her hands, "Angel, when we were talking before, you were getting ready to tell me about Ian's treatment of Grace…"

Andrew watched helplessly as her smile faded and anxiety crept into her dark eyes and she immediately avoided his gaze. What made him feel even more helpless was when the anxiety on her beautiful face flew into barely concealed panic.

"Andrew…can we go, please?" Monica barely managed to keep the tremble out of her voice.

Turning his head to follow her gaze, he saw Caroline and Ian following the hostess to a table, "Monica, what…"

"Please, can we just go back to the farm? Please?"

Her eyes were pleading with him and her face had paled ever so slightly and there was nothing he could deny her, even if he didn't understand it. Andrew only knew that fear of something terrible had taken over his heart and he felt no closer now to knowing what it was than he had when they had walked in here tonight. Even worse, was that her happy night out was ending on a bitter note and he hated it.


	17. Chapter 16

**CHAPTER 16**

The drive back to the farm was quiet and Andrew allowed his beloved friend to sort out her thoughts, while he wrestled with his own. Was it all Ian that had her so upset or was it Caroline too? Why wouldn't she open up to him about it when she had always been able to tell him anything?

Pulling up at the farm, he hurried out of the car in order to walk around to open Monica's door before she could, trying to reconnect with her after her obvious withdrawal. Though she gave him a faint smile, it was apparent her mood from earlier had faded and it broke his heart. He led her in the door with his hand to the small of her back, even as he searched for something to bring back her earlier happiness.

Turning to him, Monica managed a small smile, "Thank you, for tonight….and I'm sorry about…"

"You're welcome," Andrew interrupted her, "I had a wonderful time, Angel, but I always do with you." He watched as a blush rose to her cheeks, "If you want, we could talk a bit more…"

"I'm pretty tired," She murmured, "I'll see you at breakfast, Andrew." Standing up on tiptoe, she gave him a tender kiss on his cheek. It was all he could do not to grab her hand and beg her to stay.

Watching her retreat, he felt an ache in his heart that matched the one he could feel in hers.

XX

But sleep did not come for one little Irish angel. She was deeply ashamed of her actions this evening; her avoidance of Andrew's concern, her running away like a frightened child at the mere sight of Ian. But Ian's presence on what had been such a special night, had tainted it. It felt as if Ian and Andrew should not be in the same room together; one who made her feel loved and cherished and another who made her feel worthless.

Her arm still ached along with her heart and finally at midnight, she slipped out of bed and crept quietly down the hall to the kitchen to fix a cup of coffee. Carrying her mug into the living room, where the last bits of logs in the fire were still burning, she sank down into the couch, and curled her legs up beneath her.

This assignment was turning out to be the most difficult in her existence and she felt so alone, even though she knew in her heart she was not. The Father was always with her and Andrew and Raphael were both nearby. But never before had an assignment been so hostile to her and she had no idea what she was doing wrong.

As Monica stared at the fire, she tried to focus on the perfect moments of her evening with Andrew, but her mind kept going back to that horrible moment when she had begged Andrew to take her home, giving Ian power over her and her disappointment in herself caused a tear to escape her eye.

It was that same tear that seemingly propelled Andrew from his bed. He suddenly knew she was awake and he felt her sadness in his heart. Throwing on a tee shirt over his sweat pants, he started to leave the room, but then turned back and grabbed the first aid kit. He had tried pushing her earlier, but he was not going to try that again tonight. He knew that was not who Monica needed for him to be right now and he purposefully made a bit of noise closing his door so as not to sneak up on her.

"Couldn't sleep?" Andrew asked gently as he walked around the couch to sit down beside of her. As she raised her head, he reached out tenderly and swiped at a tear on her cheek. Watching her only manage a tiny shrug, he removed the mug from her hands and placed it on the table, then he opened his arms to her, "C'mere, Angel."

Despite the guilt she felt at his loving gesture, Monica leaned into his strong, protective arms and allowed a few more tears to fall. She was afraid if she released the bulk of her emotions, she would end up crying out everything to him and she just couldn't allow herself to do that.

He held her tightly for several long minutes, stroking her hair and back, just trying to convey his great love for her any way he could. When she finally started to pull back, murmuring his name, he stopped her gently, "How's your arm? We forgot to change the bandage when we got back."

She blinked, his words not what she had expected, "It hurts a little…" Monica admitted honestly.

For the next few minutes and with infinite care, Andrew removed the bandage from last night and cleaned and redressed the wound. The sight of it still made him angry inside, but he wasn't sure at who or what. He only knew she had been hurt and that fact alone was enough to upset him.

"That's going to take awhile to heal, Angel. It's deep, but keeping the ointment on it should help it from being so painful for you," Finishing the job, he looked up at the turmoil in her dark eyes, "I wish it was me feeling the pain for you, baby."

Emotion lodged itself in her throat at his loving words as she shook her head and blinked back tears, "I don't. I would never wish any pain on you, Andrew."

His hand cupped her cheek, "I know that because that is who are you are, Monica."

Her guilt was flowing through her so strongly she could barely breathe. Reaching up, she took his hand from her face and wrapped her fingers tightly around his, "I need to talk to you."

His green eyes held her teary gaze as he nodded his head, "I've been waiting for just that, Angel. I know something more is wrong; something more than what you are telling me and I just want to help any way I can."

"You already do that, just by being here," Monica whispered, lowering her eyes for a moment, "And there is something else wrong…but I need for you to trust me right now. I'm trying to figure things out and I think I need to do that on my own before I can share it with you. But once I understand why things are what they are, you'll be the first one I come to," Another tear slipped from her eye but barely had a chance to fall before Andrew caught it with gentle fingers, "I'm not shutting you out; that isn't what I want at all. I just need a little bit of time to work this out," She lifted her eyes to meet them with his once again, "Do you suppose that would be all right?"

He drank in her teary-eyed expression. He knew he couldn't deny her; she was his greatest weakness. But seeing the pain behind her tears was almost unbearable to him, yet he could not add to her apparent distress, "I'm not going to tell you I like it, sweetheart, because I don't. Helping you when you need it, making certain that you are safe and happy…it's ingrained in me, Monica."

"Andrew…" Her voice trembled and his name was almost a plea.

A finger to her lips silenced her, "But, if you are asking me to be patient with…whatever this is, I will give you that. I hate to see you in any kind of pain, Angel, and I can tell something is hurting you. But I trust you completely and if you feel you need to figure this out on your own, who am I to deny you that?"

Impulsively, Monica threw herself into his arms and clung to him tightly, "Thank you," She whispered fiercely, "Thank you for trusting me so much."

"Angel, other than the Father, there is no one I trust more."

XX

Thankfully, other than a mild tongue lashing from Tess on "car borrowing" directed at the Angel of Death, Sunday was peaceful. Andrew was relieved of his accounting duties on weekends and with Ian being absent, Monica took the opportunity to work with her equine charges. She even decided to saddle up Grace and take her on a gentle run through the fields, never taking her faster than a trot in order to insure no further damage was done to her leg.

Andrew had wandered down to find her late in the morning and had spent long minutes with his arms crossed on the fence, just watching Monica and Grace move as one through the field. The sight was breathtaking. The little angel had given Grace her own lead, allowing the horse to move at her own pace for awhile and the mare seemed eager to gallop. He watched, enchanted, as his dearest friend rose up in the saddle, long auburn tresses flowing behind her as the sun glinted off her hair, giving her a natural angelic appearance even in her human form. She slowed Grace down after only a few minutes and Andrew smiled, seeing her lean over the horse to speak to her. As they turned back toward the stables, only then did Monica catch sight of him and her beautiful face lit up with a smile.

Climbing over the fence to go meet them, he caught Grace's reins as they approached, "The two of you are amazing together, Angel."

Her cheeks, already flushed from the ride, turned a bit pinker, "Andrew, what are you doing here?"

"Just came down to see how my angel girl is doing," He replied. As she swung her leg over to dismount, he spanned her waist with his hands to help guide her down to the ground, "How is she doing?"

"Better," Monica replied though the words were tainted with a worried expression, "But I don't know if she will be ready for the race. She's getting stronger but it just takes time and she doesn't have as much of it as she needs to completely heal."

"I saw you talking to Caroline this morning. Did you give her your recommendations?" Holding Grace's reins with one hand, he reached for Monica's hand with the other one as they walked in the direction of the gate.

"I did. She said she would speak with Ian tomorrow," Not wanting to dwell on tomorrow and what it would hold, she deftly changed the subject, something she was becoming good with, "Do you think Tess was really upset with you this morning?"

Her concerned expression for his well being caused him to chuckle, "Nah. She grumbles a lot but you and I both know she is really a pussycat underneath all that grouchiness," He winked at her and she laughed. He felt no need to add that Tess had told him after church that she hoped the night out did her Angel Girl some good.

"I'm glad you weren't in trouble with her," Monica replied honestly, giving his hand a little squeeze.

"Not a problem as long as I didn't let you drive," He teased, laughing again at her haughty expression.

"I prefer driving the horses," She retorted just as playfully.

They had reached the gate and Andrew gave the reins over to Monica so he could swing it open so she could lead the mare through it, "Well, I certainly enjoy watching you 'drive' the horses. You're incredible with them, Angel."

"I love spending time with them, you know. All they really want is some love, some food and to be able to enjoy themselves in the fields. It doesn't seem to too much to ask," She sighed and then looked up at him, "I need to cool her down and groom her before I can go to lunch."

"Would you like some help?"

A sweet smile graced her face, "You don't have to help if you don't want to but I would very much enjoy your company."

"I will help you…but in all honesty it is just an excuse to spend some time with you," Leaning over, he kissed the top of her head before taking her hand again as they led Grace in the direction of the stables, "and I cannot think of a better way to spend a Sunday afternoon."


	18. Chapter 17

**CHAPTER 17**

Andrew immediately noticed the change in Monica's demeanor at breakfast on Monday as gone was the cheerful little angel from the day before and was replaced by a rather silent angel who pushed her food around on her plate. He only wished she would confide in him about what was so troubling.

She was fully aware of Andrew's anxious eyes and she smiled at him she raised her mug of coffee to her lips trying to reassure him that she was all right. Deep in her heart, Monica knew she really wasn't all right though; her stomach was doing flip flops with nerves over Ian's return to the farm and concern over what he might do to Grace. Her only hope was that maybe Caroline would keep her promise and talk to the man.

Monica finally excused herself from the table and bidding everyone to have a good day, she slipped out the back door. She was not surprised to hear Andrew calling her name a heartbeat later.

"Angel?" Andrew waited until she had turned around before he approached her and took her hands up into his own. He already knew it was going to take everything in him to release them again, "Do you…do you need anything?" Seeing her questioning eyes, he continued, "I have to go into town with Jonathan in a little while and I just wanted to know if…if there was anything you needed before I go."

Monica's heart warmed, so clearly able to see his concern for her in his emerald green eyes and she so dearly loved him for it, "No, Andrew. I'm fine. Really." She squeezed his hands reassuringly, "I think I will rather miss you today, you know."

He smiled at her and then pulled her close to envelope her in a tight embrace. He had no idea why he was feeling such fear for her but he was, "I'm going to miss you too. I'm not sure how long the meeting will last, baby."

"It's all right, Andrew," She already felt guilty for even thinking that he would not be around if anything bad happened with Ian, "I'll see you when you get back."

Pulling away, he stroked her cheek, "Promise you'll eat lunch?"

"Promise. God speed, Andrew."

He brought his lips to her forehead in a lingering kiss, and closed his eyes briefly, willing his worry to fade, but as he watched her walk slowly in the direction of the stables, not even Brady's constant presence would comfort his heart.

Monica was relieved to arrive at the track to see only Raphael riding Grace gently around the ring, with no sign of Ian. Her angelic friend waved to her and she returned it happily. She had no need to fear with Raphael in the saddle and she leaned on the gate and watched for a while, noting that Grace was not favoring her back leg or even limping a little bit.

With Ian not around, the little angel elected to go up to the stables to check on her other charges and maybe join Raphael on the track with Joy or one of the other horses. She wondered if Ian had elected to take another day off or maybe he and Caroline were off somewhere; honestly, it didn't matter to her as long as he was not here. She supposed that was no way for an angel to feel, but yet she couldn't help herself.

Monica smiled up at the clear blue sky, thankful for an additional day of reprieve, but her smile immediately faded away she heard two unmistakable voice coming from the stables.

"I just think you need to listen to her, Ian! I don't want Grace hurt again! You train so hard and if you hurt you, you could be ruining our only chance to ever win!"

"You're questioning me?" Ian's voice was more than slightly threatening.

"N…no…I just….She's a vet, Ian; it's her job to know what is best for the horses and she has done so much good for Grace, but she said Grace needs a bit more time to train more gently."

"I don't care what the hell that woman said! She doesn't know what she is talking about! Cannot believe you hired such a worthless human being!"

"Ian, she isn't worthless! She knows what she is talking about!"

There was silence for a moment and Monica found herself moving closer to the stable; afraid to approach but yet afraid not to.

"You know better than to question me, Caroline. Maybe you need to be reminded of your place here…"

"You know I didn't mean it like that…"

"I don't see any way for you to mean it."

"Ian, please…"

Monica burst into the stables just as Ian had grabbed Caroline's arms, giving her a fierce shake, even as the woman fought against him.

"Stop it!" The little angel cried out. Despite her own fear of the human, she could not bear to see Caroline hurt by him.

"Monica, just go! Please!" She begged, but Caroline could already see Ian's angry blue eyes moving to the young veterinarian, "Go!"

"Let her go." Monica stated as calmly as she could manage but she was already shaking. She had seen that look in Ian's eyes before, right before the incident with the riding crop.

"Gladly." His voice was dangerously low as he shoved Caroline away from him, all but hurling her up against the wall of the building.

"Caroline…" She started to go to her, frightened by how pale the woman was, but she was stopped by a rough hand grabbing her already injured arm and she could not suppress a cry of pain.

"I've had it with you!" Ian growled, tightening his hold on her and delighting in the pain in her dark eyes, "I've warned you more than once but I always knew you were stupid. Some women just need reminders of their place around here…"

Tears were burning in the back of her eyes, but she met them with his anyway, "You have no right to hurt anyone."

"Oh really? Afraid I didn't get that memo and for the record, I don't take orders from any woman. I warned you once…" He tightened his grip on her arm for emphasis, wringing a small cry from her lips.

"Ian, let her go!" Caroline's tearful voice was pleading.

"Shut up, Caroline! This is between me and the moron," his blazing eyes never left Monica's, "You have no concept of who you are dealing with, do you?"

Swallowing hard against the pain, Monica met her eyes squarely with his, " I do. A bully."

He drew back his fist so fast, the little angel barely had time to think. The punch to her stomach drove her to the floor, as her mind exploded with pain even as she gasped for breath.

It was only then that he released her, "A bully you don't want to deal with. You'll do well to remember that."

Ian never looked back as he turned on his heel and strode out of the stables.

"Monica! Oh my god," Caroline raced to the angel's side, terribly frightened to see Monica still struggling to take in air, "I'm so sorry. He didn't mean it! He just gets so angry when he is questioned."

The angel could not even respond yet. Her body was too busy dealing with the pain and trying to take air into her human lungs and tears escaped her eyes.

"Can you stand?" Caroline took Monica's other arm to help her, knowing that Ian had hurt her when he had grabbed her left arm.

Nodding her head, the little angel got to her feet, but as she tried to straighten her body, another small cry escaped her. The pain was incredible and not like anything she had ever felt before, "I think I'm going to be sick…" She murmured, pulling away from Caroline to stagger outside, emptying her stomach of the little bit of breakfast she had managed to eat.

But Caroline stayed with her, tears burning in her own eyes over her employee's pain and she hated herself for her next words, "Monica, please…don't say anything to my parents about this. We need Ian if we have any hopes of winning the race. Please?"

Monica could barely reconcile the words in her mind, but she already knew she would not say a word. To tell them was not her place…it was Caroline's and for Andrew to know? The thought was unbearable, "I won't." She heard herself whispering, "Are you all right?" She still couldn't stand up straight and she was in so much pain she didn't even have it in her to feel embarrassed about throwing up in front of her assignment.

"Yes and thank you, Monica. Thank you so much. We can't lose the farm," Wrapping her arm around Monica's waist, she looked worriedly at her. The veterinarian's face was stark white, "I'll help you to your room. He might have bruised your ribs, but he never breaks any bones."

Caroline's words were so absurd, that had she felt better, she might have laughed at them, but right now, walking was an effort, even with help. The only thing she could find to be thankful for was that Andrew was in town. She could only pray that by dinnertime, she could force herself to stand up straight.

XX

All through the brief lunch break before the meeting would continue, Andrew could only worry about Monica. He knew that whatever was so wrong involved Ian and he couldn't help feeling that it had to do with more than just the horses.

Jonathan had excused himself to use the restroom and the angel toyed with the straw in his ginger ale with nervous agitation. He tried to tell himself she was fine and he was almost convinced when a pain so sharp seemed to pierce through his heart.

"Angel…" he heard himself whispering aloud.

"Talking to yourself, Andrew?" Jonathan chuckled, resuming his seat across from his accountant, "Or just thinking about your friend back at the farm?"

"I…I guess I am…" He stammered, trying to focus on what he had been feeling just a moment ago, but the feeling was gone as fast as it had come. He was already wondering how quickly he could get through the remainder of the business meeting in order to get back to Monica's side.

"She's pretty special to you, isn't she?" Jonathan watched the expression on Andrew's face soften at his words.

"She is. Very special. I've never known anyone like her." It was the absolute truth. Monica the angel touched his heart every single day, without fail. He only felt complete when he was in her presence.

"Did you enjoy your night out Saturday?" Finishing his sandwich, the man pushed his plate away.

"We did," Andrew could not help but smile at the memory, "I think we both needed it."

Smiling, Jonathan shook his head, "You know, my wife is not going to stop until you two set a wedding date."

The words startled him and he shook his head, "It's not like that." He had long ago tried to stop analyzing his relationship with the little angel, but simply counted it as the most precious in his existence and beyond human comprehension.

Chuckling softly, Jonathan reached for the bill, "Your eyes say otherwise, buddy." Rising from his chair, he patted Andrew's shoulder, "I'm going to take care of this. Meet you outside."

Nodding his head, the Angel of Death tried once again to focus on his beloved angel. Though the feeling was gone, the thought would not leave his mind that something horrible had happened to her.


	19. Chapter 18

**CHAPTER 18**

Alone in her room, Monica sat, still doubled over, on the edge of her bed with the first aid kit next to her. The tears of pain persisted in falling, but she forced herself to take as deep of breaths as possible.

Removing the bandage from her arm with one hand was difficult, but she had no choice. The still angry wound had bled through the bandage Andrew had applied the previous night and she needed to get it cleaned up so she could tell him she had changed it herself today. If he saw it, he would instantly know something else had happened.

As she cleaned the wound, she clenched her jaw to hold back sobs, but it didn't seem to be working. Her body felt as if it were coming apart at the seams and even crying hurt, so she tried to stop the tears as quickly as they had come.

"Oh Father, I don't know what I'm doing anymore," she whispered brokenly to the only one she felt she could confide in right now, but she couldn't help but feel that even God thought she should be having a long talk with Andrew. But she didn't know how to put her dearest friend's nature in jeopardy like that. Just because she was failing her assignment didn't mean he needed to fail his by being punished for protecting her from a mad man.

She held a square of gauze up against her arm until the bleeding subsided and the antibiotic ointment brought some relief from the white hot pain. She only wished it would work for her stomach. Rewrapping her arm, she moved the first aid kit to the bedside table and then with painstaking slowness, she moved back and gingerly laid down on her bed. Monica was afraid to try to sleep; afraid she would be late for dinner and cause Andrew to come looking for her, so she simply remained with her eyes open, focusing on breathing with as little pain as possible for nearly three hours.

The little angel arrived at dinner a little late, just minutes after Andrew and Jonathan had returned to the farm. It had taken her nearly ten minutes to sit up in bed and another ten minutes to force herself to stand upright. The three hours of lying down had done little to subdue the pain but she surmised it was at least a tiny bit better.

"There you are," Margaret looked up from putting the last bowl on the table, "Andrew and Jonathan will be here in just a minute and we'll eat."

"Thank you," Monica forced a smile and walked to the table, her eyes meeting only briefly with Caroline's. The woman was already seated at the table and her eyes followed Monica's every move with concern.

She sat down slowly, lips clenched tightly together and she nearly breathed a sigh of relief when she achieved it.

"Come on, you two! Dinner's ready," Margaret called down the hallway, nodding her head in satisfaction as she saw her husband and Andrew emerge from the office.

"Angel," Andrew smiled as he slid into his chair across from her but his smile immediately faded as he took in her pale complexion and a certain anguish in her eyes.

But before anything else could be said, Caroline spoke up, her concerned expression lingering on the little angel, "Are you still not feeling any better?"

Andrew's anxiety nearly went through the roof, remembering his feeling from earlier, "Monica, what's wrong? You're so pale."

"She was sick after breakfast," Caroline explained worriedly, "Poor thing. Maybe she has the stomach flu. It's been going around."

Equally concerned, though Andrew was already getting up from his chair, Margaret laid a hand against Monica's forehead, "She's a little feverish."

Monica felt as if they didn't even realize she was here as she heard the story unfold around her. It all felt horribly wrong. She didn't have the flu. Ian had punched her and the fever was coming from the horrible pain in her arm not from a stomach bug. It was all she could do not to cry, "I…I'm fine."

Andrew knelt beside her chair, feeling her forehead for himself, "You don't look fine," But he was so in tune to her feelings that he could tell she felt overwhelmed by all the attention. Looking up at Margaret, he managed a smile, "Excuse us please, Margaret. I'll eat later."

"Of course, dear. Go take care of her. Take her to the office for a minute and I'll locate something to help settle her stomach."

Nodding his head thankfully, he focused all his attention on the little angel, "C'mon baby. I'll help you." Andrew wrapped his arm around her waist to help her up, not missing the pain in her dark eyes at the effort.

Monica leaned on him heavily as he led her back the hall, certain he was the only thing keeping her standing, "Andrew…" She so wanted to tell him the truth. Caroline had manipulated it and though Monica hadn't had any intention of telling him what really happened, to hear the human make up a story that only had a fraction of truth to it felt so wrong.

"Shh," He led her into the office and helped to ease her down into the desk chair, "I knew something was wrong today. I could feel it, Angel. You were sick earlier?"

"Yes," She whispered, simply not knowing what else to do.

Kneeling in front of her, Andrew reached up to brush her hair back from her eyes, which were filled with misery, "You're so pale," he murmured, taking her hand and bringing to his lips, "I know being sick scares you, Angel, but you're going to be fine."

"Are you sure?" The barely audible words were out before she could stop them along with the tear that escaped her eye. She knew he could not possibly know the depth of her question, but she longed for his reassurance just the same.

His other hand stroked her cheek, "Yes, baby. I'm sure."

Monica closed her eyes and leaned into his hand, needing to feel contact that didn't hurt. She couldn't even speak; she just wanted him close to her.

"Don't worry, Angel. I'm going to take care of you until you are feeling better," He watched sadly as she simply nodded her head, "Do you have any idea how much I love you?"

Her eyes were swimming with tears when she opened them to meet his gaze. How could two of God's creations be so different? How could one call her terrible things and hurt her physically while the other looked at her with such love and tenderness? It didn't seem like such a contradiction should be possible. As the tears slipped from her eyes, she was only able to whisper, "I love you too."

Caroline stood frozen in the doorway, watching the loving exchange between the two employees and friends. She almost felt as if she was barely able to comprehend it, but all she knew was that she had just witnessed something infinitely precious.

X

Dinner was a silent, rather melancholic one, as Monica did not return to the dining room. Her joyful and charming presence and her friendly chatter were greatly missed, especially by Jonathan, who was getting used to share a cup of coffee with the lovely Irish vet. Plus, watching Monica so sick did cause an impact on that family; a sadness they were not even aware of but which Andrew and Rafael could explain quite well. They were human beings mourning the suffering of an angel.

With Monica being ill, Andrew was also absent, both because he did not feel like eating when he knew that his dearest friend was in any kind of pain, and also and most importantly because he was the one in charge of taking care of her. The angel of death had permanently assigned himself that mission.

Monica took the tea that Margaret prepared her, Andrew had insisted that she went back to her room and, after some reluctance, she finally agreed to. There, the blond angel helped her lie down in bed and despite the effort she made not let him notice how hurt she was, he could sense her pain; it hurt in him as well.

As the hours passed by with painful slowness, he watched sitting on a chair as exhaustion consumed her human form even in her sleep and wondered why a rather simple assignment would be doing her so harm. When the clock ticked eleven, Andrew finally abandoned his chair to sit at the edge of her bed. Then, he removed the strands of hair from her face and touched her forehead. She was still running a low fever and he wondered what could be causing that.

"Father, please, make her heal. She's so fragile in this human form…" he prayed in a low voice, and tenderly caressed her cheek.

The soft contact, however, made her move abruptly and moan, as if in fear.

"Angel?" he spoke, now cupping her face more firmly.

Her soft, yet scared eyes, were open a second later, as if she had just awoken from a nightmare.

"Andrew…"

"Monica, it's ok, angel, you were having a bad dream again…" he spoke, assuming that her reaction was due to a nightmare and not aware it was actually a consequence of the events of the day, when the slightest amount of pain was now permanently associated to Ian.

"I am?" she spoke, confusion clouding over her face.

"Yes, you are." He replied, moving closer to her as if he was reassuring her everything was just fine. "It's ok, it's over now…"

Monica let out a soft sigh, now fully regaining consciousness. She looked around and back at her friend. "It must be late… You should be resting."

"Not until you're fine." Andrew looked at the bandages in her arm. "Did you change it?"

"I did." Came her fast answer. "It was late and I did not want to wake you up."

"Next time you'll call me, okay?" He watched as she bit her lower lip like a little girl. "Do you think you could eat something?"

"I don't think so… Perhaps in the morning, you see…"

"That's alright. Then I want you to rest, angel. Please try to go back to sleep."

"You should sleep too… I'll be fine, Andrew…"

Monica genuinely wanted him to rest as she could see the evident exhaustion in his face. But deep inside, the little angel also wanted him to sleep right there next to her, for in his arms she would be able to find the peace she had been seeking since that assignment had started. Yet, she could not ask him to do it because his loving embrace would end up hurting her even more than she already was. Ian was so evil that he managed to turn even that loving gesture into pain.

"I'm praying you are, Monica." He stroked her cheek with the back of his hand before adjusting the bedside lamp so that there was the slightest amount of light in the room. "Now sleep, baby…"

"You have to take care of yourself too…" her voice was merely a whisper as the gentle movement of Andrew's fingers through her hair began to lull her back to sleep.

"I am taking care of myself, sweet angel girl. Don't you see that I'm fine when I know you are fine?" he spoke, a bittersweet smile playing in the corner of his lips as she finally gave in to exhaustion and to the effect of the medicines and fell asleep again.

Andrew, for himself, took his place back on the chair next to her bed and never left the room. His green eyes remained focused on his dear friend as the night fell and only when his human form could not bear the consequences of so many hours awake, he too surrendered to sleep.


	20. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

When Andrew woke up the sunrays were already bathing Monica's room, bringing some warmth and perhaps new hope for the angels in human form. He felt pain in his whole body due to the night spent sitting on a chair next to his dearest friend. Andrew ran a hand over his tousled blond hair and rose to his feet just to kneel next to Monica's bed. She was still so pale and the expression on her sleeping face still held much sadness that he could just take her in his arms and carry her away from that place and back Home where they belonged. Whatever it was that was causing her human form to perish would certainly vanish once she was wrapped in their Father's light.

Andrew kissed her forehead and quietly left her room, loathing the fact that he would have to wake her up in a few minutes so she could take another dosage of medication. He passed by his room to change his t-shirt and washed his face so he could be a little presentable. Then, he headed to the main house and was glad that Margaret was already up, setting the table while Mrs Davidson prepared breakfast.

"Oh, good morning, Andrew. How is Monica?"

"Good morning, Mrs Snyder…" he replied, with a tired expression. "Monica is still sore and feverish, I'm afraid. It was a long night…"

"Oh, my dear God… I'm so sorry!"

"I came here to ask for your permission for her to remain in her room. She will need resting for the day, and maybe tomorrow."

"Oh, yes, of course! That poor thing was so sick yesterday, she definitely needs a break!"

"I'm not yet sure on how sick she is but if she doesn't get better I'm considering taking her to a doctor."

Caroline entered the room at that very moment and could hear what he had just said. In her eyes there was worry which Andrew assumed was totally about his dearest friend. But he was only partially right.

"I hope it's not necessary, Andrew…" she said, nervously fidgeting with the table cloth. "I truly hope she gets better soon…"

"I'm praying for that, Caroline. Now if you excuse me, I'll go back there…"

"Oh, wait, you can take Monica's breakfast, she needs to eat." Margaret headed to the kitchen and came back holding a bowl filled with fresh fruits, bread and yogurt. "Please, make her eat at least a little."

He smiled softly, glad at the woman's generosity. "Thanks, Mrs Snyder."

"That young lady is very blessed to have someone like you to take care of her."

Andrew lowered his head for a moment. "I'm very blessed to have her in my existence, Mrs Snyder. She's… very precious to me."

Happy to hear that, despite the worry about Monica's condition, the old lady smiled. "You didn't even have to tell us that. It's palpable!" And then she frowned. "Tell me, Andrew, what about her family… Does her mother know she's sick?"

"Well… Monica doesn't have a mother…" He was a bit reticent when it came about giving them too much information about him and his dear friend.

The woman's face fell with sadness. "Oh, no, don't tell me that…"

"But she has someone who is the same thing to a mother to her. I believe she's told you about Tess."

"Oh, yes, she did. The guest minister. Perhaps she would like to receive her visit? I'm going to the town soon and I could pass by and tell her what happened."

"I think Monica would be very happy to see Tess."

Caroline listened to the conversation in silence, not missing all Andrew's care and evident affection towards the Irish vet. That was another way of caring, totally different from what she had been used to see.

X

"… do you think you could have just a little more of the cheese bread?"

"I think… I could have it a wee bit later, Andrew… I'm feeling rather full now, you see…"

When Andrew returned to Monica's bedroom, bringing her breakfast, he was surprised to see her sitting in her bed, eyes lost in an invisible point towards the window. The blond angel wondered if those were the first signs of her getting better and Monica let him think so. The truth, however, was that she was still sore and in pain and fortunately she had woken up when he was not there, so she did not have to hide her suffering and the huge effort she had to make in order to move to a sitting position.

And the little angel's awakening was probably due to the fact that Andrew had moved away from her. Without his warm presence in the room, the anguish that had settled in her heart grew stronger along with an intense feeling of guilt for not telling her friend what was really going on. Looking at his face, clearly seeing the exhaustion in those caring green eyes, she wondered if she would ever be able to forgive herself.

"You barely ate, angel…" he spoke, with concern written on his face.

She reached out and took his hand. "I promise I will eat tiny bits during the day. This way, I won't be hungry and will be prepared for the medication."

He let out a tired sigh. "That's okay. I'll leave the food right here on your side table. Is there anything else you need, baby?"

"I will be fine."

"I… I will have to leave for a while… I'll take a shower and get changed but I'll be back-"

"Andrew..." The blond angel was visibly upset to having to move away from her side but she gently interrupted him. "You have an assignment to fulfill here. You cannot stop it because of me."

"How could I not, Monica, when I see you are not well?"

"I'm telling you that I will be fine. Margaret and Caroline gave me the day off so I can recover and I will." She tilted her head and threw him an affectionate gaze. "You can come visit me anytime you want."

"You can be sure about that."

Andrew inched closer and, laying both hands on each side of her face, and brushed a tender kiss on her forehead.

It was then that they heard a soft knock on the door, which was already half open, and saw Caroline standing there.

"I'm sorry…" she said, a bit unsure if she should really be there. "… I can come back later…"

"Oh, no, please come in, Caroline." Andrew spoke. "I just was leaving for a while and didn't want to leave Monica alone. You arrived at the perfect time." He said, friendly, and genuinely glad that the little angel would have someone close to her while he was away.

Monica's expression, however, turned into a serious one once she saw the young woman coming through her bedroom door and taking the chair that had been Andrew's for the whole night. She watched as her dearest friend threw her a reassuring smile and left the room afterwards, and then she stared at her boss – her assignment.

"I… I came here to see how you're doing, Monica…" she started, visibly guilty at the awful events of the previous day.

"I appreciate your concern, Caroline, but something tells me you might know rather well how I am feeling. Am I right?"

She lowered her head, as for some strange reason, she could not face those deep brown eyes. It was as if they could see through her soul. "Please, forgive me…"

"It's not me the one who you should be asking for forgiveness. On second thoughts, I think you shouldn't even be asking for forgiveness, but for help."

"I love him… Ian… he offered me all his support when things started to go bad in the farm. He stood strong for me when I cried and told him I didn't know what to do in order to keep it in the family. He knows how much Safe Haven means to me. He gave me encouragement and put all his effort in order to enroll Grace in the championship. I owe him so much…"

Looking at the young woman, Monica felt sorry. It was beyond her comprehension that someone would be submitted to such an abusive behavior like she did.

"And why is it you have to hide him from everyone, especially from your family? Why is it, Caroline, that you are here, pleading me not to tell everyone that Ian is a cruel women aggressor, who has already done to you what he did to me in the stables probably countless times?"

She watched as the tears fell from the young woman's eyes and she covered her face in shame for the truth of those words hit her deep inside her heart.

"I love him so much…" her crying voice came out in a whisper.

"I see…" With effort, Monica reached out and gently removed the girl's hand from her face. "You might think that you love him… or maybe you even do… But does he love you back?"

Sobbing, Caroline tried in vain to wipe away some tears from her face and forced a weak smile. "He… he takes care of me…"

"Do you really believe that, Caroline?"

"I know that with you it's different… That Andrew takes care of you in a different way but…"

"Caroline, what you see between Andrew and me is absolutely not equal to what you and Ian share… I don't even believe you share anything at all."

"Ian… he sometimes gets very nervous… he cannot control his anger… Perhaps Andrew is different, but…"

"Oh, no, you're wrong. Andrew gets mad too, he's not perfect, you see. But only at injustice and cruelty and he doesn't lash out on people for that."

"Ian promised me he would never do that again."

Monica leaned back against the pillow, still staring her boss. "And how many times did he promise you this?"

Caroline lowered her eyes again, not bearing the truth that was being spoken to her through the angel's questionings. "Please take as many days as you need to heal, Monica. I don't expect you to go back to work until you're fully recovered, and I truly mean it, Monica."

She rose to her feet and quietly left the bedroom; aware that she would never be able to forget the piercing look in Monica's eyes.


	21. Chapter 20

**CHAPTER 20**

The following days passed with painful slowness for Monica, but they served to show how much loved she was as she was constantly visited by Tess, Rafael, Mr and Mrs Snyder and even Brady, who received special permission to remain by her bed foot and therefore help Andrew with the mission of taking care of the most adorable heavenly being that had ever walked on Earth.

Somewhat feeling imprisoned inside her room, Monica spent the following days watching as the bright sun colored the land and wondering how her equine charges were doing without her nearby. Rafael had been the one to inform her about Grace's progress and assure her that the animals were doing just light exercises as she had strongly recommended.

Andrew divided his work between calculations and watching over his dearest friend and his dedication was not left unnoticed by those in the farm, Caroline included. At first, she tried to convince herself that he was different from the other men and Monica was lucky to have him in her life. But in a warm night, the young woman saw the two angels in the porch, talking while he kept his arm around Monica's shoulders, and realized that their relationship was based on affection and respect, bearing some resemblance to her parents' one.

And at the same time, as she rested her head over Andrew's shoulder, Monica wondered if some day she would be able to touch Caroline's heart and make her realize that she was much loved and did not deserve the abuse Ian had inflicted her.

X

Little by little, the little angel recovered from the injuries and felt more confident to risk some short walks until she finally came back to the stables on a bright Sunday morning – only a week from the race day. The reunion with her charges was somewhat moving: Monica greeted each horse by gently stroking their soft fur and speaking affectionate words. She also fed some of them with beautiful red apples previously selected for her little outing. Monica had been careful enough to investigate if Ian would be around and when Mrs Davidson told her that he would be away for the next days she knew that there was no risk for her to go in there.

Coming closer to Grace, she leaned on the animal and gave her a warm hug around her neck. "I missed you too, sweet Grace. I'm sorry I left you alone for so long..." The mare gave her a gentle sniffling in the nape of her neck, eliciting a small laugh from her. "We'll have quite a lot of work to do next week, you see. Caroline needs you to win the race for her so that this farm can continue to exist and you and your friends can stay here. But if you ask me I still think there could be another way to save this beautiful."

The Irish angel resumed her work with Grace having Rafael to give her support and ride the animal while she took care of her injured leg. The race being only a week ahead did not give her the amount time she would like to pronounce that Grace was fully healed and ready to run such an important competition. But Monica had no choice and elected to do what was within her powers to make her able to run, and one of the main measures she took was to spare the horse at most so there was no chance the injury on her leg could return.

Contrary to the previous one, the week went by quite fast and before they knew it, they were just a few hours from the race. Its eve had been busy and quite exhausting for Monica, but she thanked her Father for keeping Ian away from her – he had elected to train Grace in the racing field and Rafael was the one who would run the mare. Monica was a little less nervous about that fact as she knew her friend would not do anything that could endanger or cause suffering to the animal.

With infinite care, Andrew pushed her bedroom door open and entered a second later, glad to see that she was sound asleep and there were no traces of a nightmare on her face. He took a seat on the edge of the bed and reached out to tuck some loose hair strands behind her ear. Then, the blond angel spent a long time contemplating her meek, beautiful features that could be seen through the dim light coming from the bedside lamp. There were moments when she looked nothing less than an angel to him, even being in human form, and he felt incredibly grateful to be able to admire her in all her divine splendor.

Monica had a pure, noble and gentle heart and Andrew loathed anything that could hurt it. For this reason he felt like he was facing a hidden enemy – he could see the strong traces of exhaustion and aguish in those beautiful brown eyes and wondered if the race itself was the only responsible for those.

Very carefully not to wake her up, he touched her arm with his fingertips, examining the remains of the hideous wound on her skin. Then his green eyes scanned her small figure. Monica was lying on her side and all curled up, as if protecting herself from something he could not yet understand but which he had already vowed to fight against. Her being sick right after the strange mark had appeared on her arm, the worried, nearly scared, way she looked whenever they talked about her assignment… All those facts seemed like small pieces of evidence leading to some kind of mystery he was having trouble unraveling.

Sighing deeply, and frowning with concern and with a turmoil of thoughts going on his mind, the blond angel straightened the blanket around her body. Being her eternal protector, he had thought that an assignment on a farm would offer no harm to the little angel, and now it seemed that her suffering had started at the moment they had arrived there. That sudden thought in particular made his heart skip a beat: what if something in that very place was causing her so much distress? What if the source of her pain was coming from a hidden place he himself had not been aware of?

Andrew recalled all the people that had been close to them since that assignment had started. Apart from Rafael, who shared their same essence and who had always been very fond of Monica, there were few humans who had permanent contact with them. Mrs and Mr Snyder were absolutely enchanted with the little angel's loving character and could not treat her better. Despite being a little distant sometimes, mostly due to the administration of the farm, Caroline had always showed respect and admiration when dealing with Monica, as the two of them shared the love for the animals in the farm.

And when the angel turned his thoughts to Ian, he frowned with more concern as for the first time he was aware that he knew very little about the horse trainer, but enough to know that he and Monica had different opinions about the best way to work with the animals. Andrew was also attentive to the fact that she would speak very little about him and now the blond angel wondered why, being so communicative, his beloved friend would not mention him in their conversation. Would this man be the cause of her fears? Had Andrew been so blind that he did not see that?

Shaking his head in disbelief, he let out a tired sigh and ran his hand through his short hair. "Father, please, help me figure this all out… What can be causing her so much suffering? Show me what is doing her so much harm... You know that her suffering makes me suffer just as much, Father. Please, let me be Your instrument to protect and take care of her while we're on Earth."

His whispered prayer ceased and, with infinite tenderness, he lay a gentle hand against her cheek and smiled while many memories of them together started to play on his mind. He wished those happy moments were back soon. "Sweet angel girl… Don't ever forget that I'm here for you, ready to help you whenever you need me. You are much loved… by your co-workers and friends, by the Snyder's family and especially by this angel here."

He bent down and kissed her cheek and noticed how her lips curved in a slight smile. "Sleep well, baby."

Andrew left the room in silence, trying not to disturb her. But he was the one who did not have a peaceful sleep that night, as scary, nearly unbelievable thoughts, kept running on his mind and making him more and more confused about the latest events.

X

Sunday morning started before 4 AM at Safe Haven. Monica and Rafael were soon by Grace's side, preparing the beautiful mare to the so much expected presentation. The local newspapers gave notes about the race and also about the top favorite horses to win it – Grace always among the top five of those lists. However, the articles also pointed out that the animal had been under recovery from a leg injury and raised doubts about whether she would be prepared to run again.

"_Acalma-te, angelita_. Everything will be just fine." The angel placed a supportive hand over Monica's shoulder, not missing the worried look in her eyes. "You know Who is in charge here."

"I know, Rafael. But I cannot avoid being nervous…" The little angel caressed Grace's head. "And even though I know how important this race is, financially, what worries me the most is Grace's well-being."

"She too will be in good hands, angel."

The third voice was unmistakable and both angels turned to see Andrew standing by the stable door, his eyes tired from the sleep deprived night he had spent.

"Andrew…" Monica was quick walk towards him, noticing his exhaustion and feeling sorry for him. "It's still too early, you should be sleeping…"

"I don't think I would be able to, angel." He said, gently caressing her cheek.

"And it's good you're here cause you're probably the only person who can calm her down!" Rafael approached them, guiding Grace by the harness. "Monica won't relax until this race is over!"

"I have faith that the treatment did help Grace a lot, Monica."

"I fear it might not have helped her enough, you see."

Andrew gave her hand an encouraging squeeze and the trio of angels left the stables heading to the truck that would transport Grace up to the hippodrome. The trip lasted a little more than 20 minutes and once they got there, Grace was taken to one of the stalls prepared for the competing horses.

Monica kept on observing as the mare adapted to the new space, always in Andrew's company. Mr and Mrs Snyder would be there soon too and when the sun started to burst in different colors up in the sky, the Irish angel made a small prayer so that everything would go just fine. She was exactly contemplating the soft sunrays when an image caused a chill to run down her spine: Caroline and Ian arrived in his car. They got out of the vehicle and walked slowly towards the stall and Andrew did not miss Monica's sudden discomfort and nervousness.

"Monica?" He spoke, finding strange that she started to walk away from the place.

"I'm… It's quite warm today, here, isn't it?" She could not face him in the process. "I'm going to get some water in the café..."

"Angel?"

"I'll be back soon …"

She left before he had the chance to say something else, and on the following moment, the couple approached him.

"Good morning, Andrew."

"Hi, Caroline."

The farm owner smiled friendly. "We appreciate your coming here too."

"I hope you don't mind my presence here, and I'll compensate it later." The blond angel apologized.

"Oh, no, it's alright. After all, you've offered Monica so much support these days."

"Caroline is right," Ian spoke, with a short smile. "Plus, I'm sure that after the race we'll all celebrate together!"

Andrew stared at the man for a few moments, his senses alert about something he could not understand, but which made him want to go look for Monica immediately. Besides this, he could not laugh at Ian's little joke, nor even nod in agreement.

"If you excuse me…"

He left in silence, leaving the couple behind. They remained by Grace's side until the announcement that the race would start in twenty minutes. It was only then that Andrew found Monica. She was sitting on a small bench, slightly far from the stables as if she was trying to hide.

"Monica?"

Andrew's voice caused her to tremble. Facing him and not telling the truth was tearing her heart apart. "Andrew… I… I was already on my way to the race court…" She said, quickly looking at him and then facing the ground once again.

He placed a hand over her shoulder. "Is everything alright? I couldn't find you anywhere…"

"I… I intended to find the café but ended up here so I decided to sit down and wait a little…" It was partially true – she did get lost trying to find the small cafeteria. "It is a good place to offer my prayers… far from the race spot."

The little angel reached for his hand even though she still could not face him. "But I was wrong because you were not here."

Andrew was ready to confront her about what was really troubling her but after that statement the words died on his lips and all he could do was sit next to her and wrap his arm around her shoulders.

"I want you to know that I love you very much." Was all that he could say before feeling her resting her head over his shoulder.

"I know… Even if centuries passed by and I never saw you again, I would never forget it…"

He frowned and shook his head at those words, thinking that she was so nervous that she did not know what she was saying any longer. Giving her a gentle squeeze, he kissed the top of her head. "That will never happen, baby. I promise you."

She listened to his words in silence, wondering if he would be able to forgive her for hiding the things Ian did to her while they had been on the farm.

"Do you think you're ready to go back there? The race will start in a few minutes."

"I think I am."

Andrew helped her to her feet and the angels headed to the race court, taking their seats at some distance from the Snyder's and Ian. Mr and Mrs Snyder waved at them and were sorry that, due to their delay, all the seats near them had already been taken, while Monica thanked her loving Father for keeping a safe distance from the evil man who was near the family. She wondered how in the world she would be able to make Caroline see his true nature.


	22. Chapter 21

**CHAPTER 21**

The race finally started and the entire audience stood on their feet to watch Amazing Grace take the first position, gently ridden by Rafael. Monica looked at Andrew with surprised and hopeful eyes and he gave her a reassuring look. But the beautiful mare was followed closely by Dakota Dreamer and Topaz. The first lap was soon over and Rafael did the best he could not to push her too hard until the race was over. As a consequence, Dakota Dreamer ended up taking the first position. There was apprehension on the Snyder's face, especially on Caroline, who turned worried eyes to Ian, somewhat searching for his support. But what she had in response was a cold, sharp look and then he turned his eyes away from hers, sighing with frustration and impatience and running his hand through is dark hair.

"I knew this stupid woman would end up screwing things up!" he spoke, anger shining in his eyes.

Another lap and Grace threatened to take the first position again, but Dakota's jockey stimulated him to run faster and for some moments there was an exciting battle between the two horses.

"She won't handle it, Andrew… It's far too much for her, she is not ready yet…" Monica spoke, feeling Andrew's gentle touch over her shoulders.

"She's trying the best she can, angel."

But on the next lap, Grace started to show signs of exhaustion and Rafael felt he should slow her down in order to spare her. Besides, even if he tried to push her a little harder, the mare would not be able to respond to his command. In some instants, Topaz took the second position, sending Grace to dispute the third place with Shadow.

The moments that followed were of great disappointment to the Snyder's. Amazing Grace ended up being the forth horse to cross the finish line.

"She's exhausted, Andrew… I'll go see her!" Monica spoke, anguished eyes scanning their surroundings trying to see which direction the horses were taking.

Before the blond angel could say anything, he watched her disappear amongst the other people. Andrew did not try to stop her or ask her to wait as he would join her soon.

Monica rushed towards the stables and finally found Rafael trying to calm Grace down, and her heart broke to see that the animal was favoring on her leg all over again.

"Rafael!" she said, rushing to help him deal with Grace.

"I'm sorry, Monica! I'm so sorry!" Her angelic friend spoke, also with anguish filling his heart.

At the moment she lay the palm of her hands against Grace's soft fur, the animal seemed to respond, little by little reducing her agitated pace. "Oh, Rafael, I know… I know you did all you could."

"I felt she was hurt, couldn't go on with her like that."

"And you did well. She needs medical care…"

"We can take her back to her stall."

Now that Grace was finally coming back to her usual calm mood, they managed to guide her back to her own stall and it broke their hearts to see the sacrifice she was making in order to get there; the pain in her leg was visible.

"She's in so much pain…" Monica spoke, brokenhearted at the suffering she could see in the animal's eyes.

"I think there are first aid materials in the lockers not far from here." He said, "I'll bring them to you so you can at least bring her some relief."

"Please do so, Rafael! I'll stay here with her."

The angel left in a hurry, leaving only Monica to watch over Grace as the other horses were still being taken from the race court.

"Shh… it's okay, sweet girl. We'll take care of you, okay? I know you did your best, honey… The most important thing now is to watch over you… I'm so sorry you got hurt…"

"I knew the moron could only be here talking to a stupid animal!"

That angry voice caused shivers to run down her spine. Monica turned around to see Ian walking towards her and the hate in his eyes was shocking. But this time she was angry too and did not think twice before facing him in order to defend the injured animal.

"Leave us alone!"

"Us? Yeah, you got a horse brain, that's for sure! Do you know that thanks to you I lost money? I bet this damn horse would win the race, and she could have if you hadn't filled Caroline's head with a bunch of nonsense about her being spared for the race!"

"Grace should not run yet! For many times I said that she might not be ready and it could damage her leg!"

"The hell with her leg! This stupid horse could have died after the race and I still wouldn't care as long as she won! Don't you see that she needed to win, damn it!" he shouted, glaring at her with even more hate, wishing nothing but to discount on someone all his frustration.

"There are some things that have to be discussed about Grace's being able to run a race again, but I certainly won't waste my time discussing them with you because your opinion should not matter to anyone!" She replied, staring back at him. "And I have faith that one day Caroline will realize that! One day, she will wake up and realize that she deserves more, much more than being treated like dirt by a man whose strength is only shown when dealing with the fragile!"

Andrew and Mr and Mrs Snyder came along the path to the stalls to check on Grace – the blond angel had told them that Monica was already taking care of the animal and was glad to see that the couple's first worry was not about their losing the race but to the animal's welfare. Monica's and Ian's loud voices, however, called their attention and made them look at one another with a questioning expression on their face.

"But what is going on in there?" Margaret wanted to know, not missing how Andrew's worry increased as he recognized one of the voices as being his dearest friend's.

Ian held a finger on Monica's face, visibly bothered by the little angel's audacious behavior. "You shut up your mouth, you stupid woman! Stay out of my way before you regret it badly! And I've showed you how bad things can go for you!"

"What has made you such a disgusting human being, Ian? You indeed showed me that you are nothing but a coward… a repulsive man who hasn't accomplished anything in life other than getting Caroline's money and who is now desperate at the possibility of losing it!"

Those words were enough for him – the vet had gone too far and now she should pay for that. Ian raised his hand and hit her face a moment later, exactly when Andrew and the Snyder's arrived at the stall. And the vision of Monica being so cowardly beaten, the violent way she hit the floor and the look on Ian's face were enough to raise the angel's rage up to a point he had never felt before.

Andrew moved towards Ian in a frenzy, blinded by hate and a strong wish of revenge at the one who had inflicted on the little angel so much pain – at that very moment everything became clear to him: the wound on Monica's arm, her falling ill so suddenly, the pain all over her body… The man standing over there had been responsible for that. And now he had to pay.

The blond angel closed his hand tightly up to the point of having his knuckles turn white. His green eyes were burning and his jaw clenched as he stood just a few inches from Ian: his approach happened so fast that the man did not have time to run or to defend himself. On the following instant, Andrew's fist hit Ian's jaw in full force, knocking the man down with so much force that some of his front teeth tore his gum and blood quickly dripped down in the corner of his mouth as he hit the floor.

Horrified at the scene she had just witnessed, Mrs Snyder rushed to help Monica to her feet and the little angel raised a hand at her own face, which was bleeding too. "Andrew!" She called out his name crying, watching for the first time in her existence as her dearest friend's gentle and affectionate character gave place to anger and hate.

But Andrew did not listen to her voice calling out for him – he was too lost in his rage that he grabbed Ian by the shirt collar and raised him up to his feet to punch him once again. "You like hitting women, don't you? You should know you'd pay for that one day!" The blond angel's voice was hoarse and he did not even blink before hitting the man again, his force was such that now he broke his teeth.

Only Rafael and Mr Snyder's hands, grabbing him by the shoulders stopped Andrew from beating Ian again, and all of them watched as the man fell on the floor, blood covering his mouth and jaw.

"Jonathan, please, take him out of here!" Mrs Snyder pleaded, while helping Monica to her feet. The Irish angel was crying and not because of the sharp pain she was feeling but because of what she had witnessed. What she feared the most had just turned into reality as hate and anger made Andrew go against his own nature. She feared the consequences of that act and loathed the fact that she had been responsible for it.

Caroline arrived at the stable a moment later and the image she found there left no place for doubt: Monica had been a victim of Ian again and Andrew had witnessed it.

Still glaring at Ian, who was now lying on the ground with blood dripping through his mouth, Andrew raised his arms, so that Rafael and Jonathan knew that he would control himself. Only then, did they release him, and watched as he finally turned to look at Monica: guilt was tearing his heart as he did not intend her to watch him acting the way he did. It was not part of his nature; yet he could not help it. But his greatest worry at that very moment was her physical integrity as she was badly hurt.

"Monica… Angel, I'll take you to the hospital." In spite of the hoarse tone in his voice, it was once again filled with affection and great concern; the loving Andrew she had always known was coming back and it was because she was hurt and needed him.

"Andrew…" she tried to speak, but tears kept on falling from her eyes and she could hardly breathe.

"Yes, please, she needs to see a doctor immediately!" Margaret held a supportive arm around her waist while Andrew wiped away the blood on her chin and cheek – the touch of his now shaky hand ever so gentle that it was hard to believe he had punched Ian's face a minute before.

"It's okay, angel… it's okay… I'll take care of you… I won't let anyone do you any harm ever again, baby. I promise you." He spoke, and Margaret finally handed Monica to him.

Andrew noticed how the little angel trembled and the way she lost her balance: Ian's punch had certainly caused that and for a split second, he felt like going back there and punching him as many times as he could. But now there were more important things to deal with. His soul mate needed him and he could not let her down – not more than he already had.

Mr Snyder had the family's pick up ready and waited until they climbed in it. Then, he watched as they drove away to the hospital assuming that his daughter would follow them in Rafael's company. He never knew how she knelt on the ground next to Ian and tried to help him up.


	23. Chapter 22

**CHAPTER 22**

The ride to the hospital was quiet; Monica could not seem to control her tears and the way Andrew clenched and unclenched his hands on the steering wheel did little to reassure her. She wanted to pour out a hundred apologies for not telling him, for making Ian so angry, for not being totally honest. Her stomach was twisting so violently, she wasn't sure she would be able to keep from being sick when she got to the hospital, and trembling had infected every part of her body.

This was her fault. The fact that her dearest friend had inflicted violence on one of God's children was because of her and another sob escaped her.

"It's okay, baby," Reaching across the front seat, Andrew squeezed her shoulder reassuringly. He dared not deal with any of his other emotions right now; not until he knew she was all right. She was still bleeding and the mere thought of the horrific bruise she would have caused anger to ripple through him once more.

She couldn't even nod. Monica was sure nothing would ever be "okay" again.

The emergency room was not crowded and it didn't take long for the two angels to be taken back to a room, nor for a doctor to see them. Monica listened as if they were talking about someone else as Andrew related what had happened. Her cheek and jaw were throbbing and her ribs were aching once again, probably from her fall to the floor and the tension that was flowing through her now. She had been able to hide that she still had discomfort from Ian's first punch once the pain had become more manageable. She only wished she could stop shaking.

"Diane, grab a heated blanket, please," Dr. Flatts requested of the nurse that had accompanied him into the room, "Lie back, Monica and let's have a look."

She was grateful for Andrew's hands supporting her as she laid back, drawing in a sharp breath from the pain that hadn't felt as sharp the last week until now.

The doctor frowned, not missing her discomfort, "Young lady, are you hurt anywhere else?"

The tears that she had just gotten under control filled her eyes once more and she wished she could just disappear from this place; from doctors and Ian and being a victim guilty of her best friend losing control of himself.

"Monica?"

Andrew's voice was stern and demanding of the truth and she could not meet those green eyes, "He...he punched me in the stomach two weeks ago..."

Though he had already assumed as much, hearing the words sent another wave of rage through him as his mind flashed back to that night; the pain she had been in, Carolyn telling him Monica had the flu, the helpless look in the little angel's eyes. He felt almost sick.

"Okay, we'll order an x-ray to be safe."

Diane returned with the blanket just as Dr. Flatts finished examining her mouth, jaw and cheek but the warmth did little to calm the trembling, "I don't think you need stitches but it is going to swell and bruise. Keep it iced and stay to liquids and soft foods for a few days as it is going to be pretty painful. I'll bandage the cut on your cheek and l'll prescribe something for pain. Right now, I want to go put in the order for the x-ray. If this guy was big, he could have done some damage by punching you in the abdomen."

As the doctor and nurse left the room, the little angel brought her hand up to cover her eyes and gave way to tears once more. She wanted to wake up and just have this all be a horrible dream as no nightmare she'd had since this assignment began could compete with her seeing Andrew hitting Ian with such brutal force.

"Angel, please...shhh. Calm down. You're going to be fine," Andrew gently pulled her hand from her eyes and held it tightly, not allowing her to hide any longer.

"I am so sorry..." The words were barely a whisper and her words caught on a sob.

He stiffened slightly and swallowed hard against the wide range of emotions he was fighting to keep at bay until he could deal with them, "Not now. I can't do this right now, Monica."

His words tore at her heart and she turned her eyes away from his. She had seen the hurt there, the disappointment, the confusion.

And she was the cause of it all.

X

Caroline had lied. Ian had cracked a rib, which was healing, but now she knew what had been the cause of such horrific pain. The doctor had given Andrew an ice pack for his hand, which was starting to swell, but he had thrown it into a trash can outside the hospital. She had left with an ice pack, a bandage, pain medication and more guilt than she had ever felt before.

Her dark eyes stared, unseeing, out the window and after several minutes, only Andrew's low voice pulled her from her reverie.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Monica's heartbeat sped up with the question she had been dreading but now had to answer. The truth had been witnessed and there was no going back and she didn't think she could keep another thing from him ever again, if only he would forgive her, "Because I knew how you would react...I knew you would want to hurt him...and I didn't want that to happen. I just couldn't-."

"That's not good enough," His voice was controlled, but again, his hands were tight on the steering wheel, "You just let him hurt you again and again and it could have been stopped. You never should have had to suffer like that and I knew you were suffering but you led me to believe it was due to normal things."

"I never lied to you. I was sick after he hit me the first time and Carolyn knew what happened. She was there. She begged me not to tell," Her pleading words were muffled due to the pain talking caused, but they had to be spoken, "I wanted to tell you that night, after she made up that story about my having the flu."

"You should have told me." He replied tightly, "And your arm? What caused that?"

"A riding whip." Her vision blurred as she watched him suck in a sharp breath.

"Your story about that never even made sense...you never explained what happened. You just said it happened fast and that Joy was upset."

"She was and it did. Ian was beating her and I stopped him. It made him angry."

"You've always told me everything."

He was so upset and so hurt and it was tearing at the little angel's tender heart, "How could I tell you and have you jeopardize who you were created to be? I couldn't do that."

"But it's all right for you to jeopardize yourself? It's okay for you to allow someone to abuse you and never tell anyone it is happening? We've told assignments that it's never the right thing to do." Andrew didn't want to be angry with her, but his emotions were raw right now. Every time he blinked he saw Ian's fist coming in contact with her face, saw her hitting the floor. It would take him centuries for that image to fade.

Monica had no idea what else to say. She didn't know how to make it right, only that she wanted to more than anything. She had betrayed him somehow, even though she had thought she was sparing him. But she had been misguided; she had known that for weeks. Her heart had been constantly telling her to confide in him. How she wished she had listened to it.

Reaching up, she wiped at the tears that had been escaping her dark eyes and drew in a painful breath, "What will happen now? Will you be taken away?" She could hardly bear the thought of it. It felt as if all her fears were being realized in this one terrible day.

Andrew shook his head, "I can't go there right now," He felt as if he was dictating to her what he would discuss and what he would not, but then again, they had apparently been doing that to each other a lot lately.

Nothing more was said between them for the remainder of the journey and the emotional distance between them was destroying Monica little by little. As Andrew got out of the truck at the farm, he walked around to her side and opened the door, immediately reaching for her hand, "Let me help you."

"I'm fine," She murmured, but she still accepted his hand to slip off the high truck seat and even with help, her breath caught in her throat.

"Monica?" Jonathan and Margaret had heard the truck pull up and were already coming out of the back door to meet them, both of them talking at once when they approached the angels.

"We are so sorry, Monica."

"Ian will not be back on this farm again. I can promise you that!"

"Are you all right?"

"Fine." She repeated the same soft answer she had just given Andrew, only wanting to hide away and pretend none of this was happening.

Andrew cleared his throat and met his green eyes squarely with Jonathan's, "Mr. Snyder, I completely understand if you no longer want my services. I can pack up my things-." He never noticed the panic that filled the little angel's face at his words but thankfully his resignation was not required.

"Andrew, son, you did what any man would do who saw someone he loved being hurt in such a way, "Jonathan laid his hand on the angel's shoulder, "You beat me to it, Andrew. I was ready to go after that monster myself. Never did care for him personally, but Carolyn was insistent he was the best. I don't give a damn how good he is. Any man who raises a hand to a woman has no place here."

"Thank you, sir," He replied. He didn't know what else to say and he knew he needed time. He also knew that his next words were going to pain a heart that had felt too much torment already, "I need to take a walk. I just need a little time to sort some things out in my mind."

"Of course, dear," Margaret replied gently. She could clearly detect the tension between the two friends, "We'll take good care of her until you return."

The little angel's stomach tightened painfully as she watched her beloved friend gaze at her with great sadness in his green eyes. Reaching out, he touched her uninjured cheek briefly, "I'll be back later, Monica. Rest, please?"

"Honey, it will all be fine," Margaret wrapped her arm around her shoulders seeing the tremble that went through Monica's body as Andrew walked away from them, "Andrew just needs a little time to reconcile things in his mind. I have some soup on the stove that will be ready soon. Would you like to come in and keep me company for a bit?"

Monica's horrified eyes turned from the woman's to Andrew's retreating form. He was leaving the farm and heading toward town, "I...I think I'd like to go lie down for a bit..." the hand that clutched the bag from the hospital was sweaty and the fear was rising up within her so quickly she could hardly breathe, "I...I'm sorry." She tried to offer a tiny smile, but her face was already swelling and the attempt was painful, just like everything else right now.

Turning away, she walked as quickly as she could manage down the trail to the guest house and to her room. Closing the door behind her, Monica tried to busy herself with unpacking the ice packs and pain medication that had been sent home with her. She stared at the bottle and then set it on the dresser. She had hurt the one she loved the most in the universe. She didn't deserve to have her own pain diminished.

But two hours later, she knew she could not stay here. She couldn't sleep despite the exhaustion that was flowing through her mind and body and she was not surprised to find herself in Grace's stall ten minutes later.

Raphael had apparently iced the mare's leg and the Irish angel grabbed the medication from the bench in the stable. Grace took the large, flavored pill easily, the horse always at ease in the angel's presence, "Good girl. That will help with the pain, you see, as I don't want you to feel any of it. You are the one who doesn't deserve it...unlike myself." Wrapping her arms around the horse's neck, she rested her uninjured cheek against the warm, coarse hair.

"Angelita, you know that is not the truth." Raphael waited until the little angel released Grace and turned to face him, his eyes filling with great sorrow at her distorted facial features from being hit so violently by such an evil man, "You do not deserve any suffering, Monica."

"Andrew is so angry with me," She whispered brokenly, "I should have told him."

He asked the question he was sure he already knew the answer to, _"__¿__¿Esta no fue la primera vez_? This was not the first time he hurt you?"

"No," The same whisper replied and he could see the devastation in her dark eyes.

Carefully, he approached her and slipped into Grace's stall to lay his hands on her shoulders, "We are all at fault, Angelita. I believe both Andrew and I knew something was terribly wrong. You were not acting like the Monica we know."

"I was afraid to tell him...because I knew what he would do...and I was right." But being right brought her no comfort. Her not telling him had only prolonged the inevitable, "What if the Father sends him away, Raphael? He shouldn't. It was my fault."

"No. It wasn't. It was Ian's fault. Andrew only reacted as anyone would who saw someone they love being hurt so terribly."

"But he's an angel," Monica's voice trembled and tears threatened again, "He shouldn't have struck Ian. I understand why he did, but-."

"And you are an angel as well and should never have been struck," He reminded her softly.

"It's my fault. Had I just told him when it all started, when there were only...cruel words..."

"_No hagas esto_. Don't do this, Monica, please."

His dark eyes were too kind and she could no longer bear to look into them, "Raphael, I...I think I really need to be alone right now."

Though he doubted that was what she needed, he could tell she was finished talking. Her pain was too great to give voice to other than to Andrew, "You should rest."

"I will. Later." Only once he had gone, did the little angel close her eyes tightly, and folded her hands just as tightly, "Father, please, don't take him. He was avenging me. I know it is not his place, but please...I need him...and please forgive me. Please. Please. Please."


	24. Chapter 23

**CHAPTER 23**

He walked for a long time, even as the sun faded and darkness fell over the lands. Andrew knew he should get back to Monica; he had seen the fear in her dark eyes as he had turned to leave but he also knew he had to deal with his own feelings before he could help her.

Actually, hitting Ian was the least of his concerns. Accepting the fact that he was not sorry had been easy. Andrew knew if he had the moment to live over again, even though he never wanted to see the little angel struck again in his existence, he knew he would react the exact same way. The fact that God had not snatched him up and taken him Home had to be a good sign. He knew in his heart that violence was never the way to react but right now, he could see no other way he could have possibly reacted. The vision of that horrible punch sending Monica stumbling back and to the floor was more than he could even bear to remember. Knowing it was not the first time it had happened was ten times worse.

Yes, that was the crux of his agony right now. Monica had always told him everything; she had always gone out of her way to seek him out when something was wrong or even troubling her. But this time, with her very well being at stake, she had elected not to share her pain with him. She had gone along with Caroline's lie, she had begged him to give her time to work things out for herself. She had avoided questions and had given answers that had barely made sense.

And he had allowed it.

Andrew could try and try to convince himself that he was upset with the little angel for suffering in silence, but he knew it was simply not possible. He had known something was seriously wrong. The times he had felt a wave of pain that he had known could only be coming from her, her barely concealed panic when Ian and Caroline had walked into Dutchess Daughter that night at dinner, the way she had withdrawn and had struggled with eating. She'd may as well have been screaming at him that something was horribly, terribly wrong, but he had avoided it and it went against everything he had ever known. He should have insisted. He should have checked on her more often when Ian was on the farm. He should have questioned that hideous wound on her arm more than he had. He hadn't wanted to pressure her but that had been irresponsible on his part; more than irresponsible. Downright neglectful and it was tormenting his soul like nothing ever had before. Andrew knew he was walking to try to escape it, but he could never outrun what he had done. He had let Monica down. He hadn't been there for her.

He lowered his head as he finally turned around to walk back the few miles he had come. It was getting late and he had been gone too long. The breeze of night ruffled through his short, blond hair and only the lightening bugs that had always fascinated Monica lit the path ahead. Grief filled his heart again at the thought of her and his mind went back to one of the early days at the farm; the day she had fled on Joy and he had acted as if he had been inconvenienced by her absence. He all too clearly recalled the way she had insisted she not be in his way once they had talked later that night. Had he set the precedent for the weeks that followed? Had she so feared causing him problems that she had suffered silently at the brutal hands of that coward?

Andrew quickened his pace, suddenly unable to get back fast enough, "Father," He whispered aloud, "If I have disappointed you, for that I am sorry and beg your forgiveness, but I can't be sorry for my actions regarding Ian. He hurt your precious Irish angel, the one you have given to me as my dearest companion, though right now, I feel completely undeserving of her. Help her, Father. Heal her heart and body from what this man has done to her as only you can and again, help me to be an instrument for you in that process."

He could bear it no other way.

XX

The guest house was dark when he returned at just past eleven 'o clock and it seemed completely uninhibited. Walking past the kitchen, Andrew spotted a tray that had apparently come from the main house with a bowl of soup that had long ago gone cold and another saucer that held apple sauce, also untouched.

Monica hadn't eaten again and this time he was the cause and not Ian.

Andrew had only planned to check in on her and then sit by her bed and watch over her as she slept in the event she had any pain or any nightmares, but as he approached her closed door, his green eyes filled with the same grief that filled his angelic heart.

He could feel her sobs with ever fiber of his being; the brokenness in them, the fear, the uncertainty and he was opening her door as quickly as he could without even knocking. The sight of her nearly undid him and brought tears to his own eyes as her small body sat huddled over on the edge of the bed, arms across her ribs as if the pain from such violent tears was more than she could physically bear. Her swollen and bruised face was reddened from the force of her tears and Andrew wasn't sure he had ever heard such grief coming from her in his existence.

"Monica..baby..." He rushed to her side, intending to pull her into his arms yet afraid of hurting her more than she was already, but her swollen eyes meeting his stopped his desperate movement.

Struggling to speak around her tears, he had to strain to understand her, "He...he must have...been right...only a fool would hurt you...the way I have, Andrew," Covering her face with her trembling hands, the little angel choked out a few more words, "I'm so sorry...so sorry...not telling you...it was eating me up inside..."

Andrew didn't waste another moment though he was so very careful when he pulled her to himself, pillowing her head beneath his chin, pressing her uninjured cheek to his chest. He was fighting his own tears at her pain; pain a hateful human being caused.

"I'm sorry too, Angel," He brought his lips near to her ear so she could hear him through her broken tears, "I should have been here, baby. I knew things were wrong and I should have pushed harder. I'll never forgive myself for that."

The little angel clutched at his shirt, unable to speak through the weeks of pent up emotions that she had been afraid to show and Andrew made no attempt to try to coax her to stop crying. He knew it was long overdue, that her heart was so terribly conflicted and he knew it because his was as well. He only held her, ran his fingers through her hair and kissed the top of her head repeatedly, allowing her to feel safe in his great love for her until long minutes later, her exhausted body could no longer handle such violent weeping. He'd hoped she had cried herself to sleep as she was so weary he could feel it in his own heart, but a moment later, broken words were tumbling from her, as her voice, weak and hoarse from crying told him everything.

Andrew listened as he held her, as she told him about Ian's abusive words to her that had led her to leave on Joy on that day, how she had gone to the track to find him whipping Joy a few days later and how she had stopped him, about how furious Ian had been over her talking Caroline into making him reduce Grace's training. She told him with a trembling voice how he had struck out with the whip, making it seem like an accident but that she had known it had been intentional.

It was as if the words could not pour out from her quickly enough. Monica needed for him to know all of it; everything she had so longed but had been so afraid to tell him. He didn't seem surprised when she told him about discovering Ian and Caroline together and he held her a fraction tighter as she relayed how she had stopped Ian from hurting the human and instead had taken the man's powerful punch herself. She didn't even leave out how Ian had reopened the wound on her arm and how she had changed the bandage herself in order to keep the truth from him.

And when all the words were out and the story had been completely told, the little angel lay in his arms, completely spent, but still needing to say more, "I cannot begin to tell you how sorry I am and I just hope that one day you can forgive me."

Andrew held her in silence for a few more moments until he could steady his emotions enough to speak, "Do you remember what I told you this morning when I found you on the bench?" He felt her fingers release his shirt and her arms wrapped around his waist, wanting to be closer to him, "Do you remember, Angel?"

"Will you tell me anyway?" She whispered, closing her eyes exhaustedly.

"I love you very much. So incredibly much, Monica. And I'm sorry too."

"No, you didn't do anything-."

"Shh. I did, Angel. As sure as I am holding you, I knew something was wrong. I...even had suspicions as to what was happening but I could not bring myself to accept it was the truth. I couldn't even bear the thought of someone hurting you like that."

"I should have told you. I never meant to hurt you like that..."

Andrew heard the trembling of her voice and he pulled back just enough to look into her swollen eyes, "Please don't cry, Angel. I understand why you didn't want to tell me. Yes, I wish you had as the thought you being subjected to so much pain tears me apart, but you and I cannot linger in this place. It isn't what's important now, all right? What is important is you getting better and I am going to be with you every step of that journey. This, I promise you."

Her eyes were swimming with tears as she looked into his loving, compassionate eyes, "I love you...I love you so much, Andrew...just so much..."

He blinked to clear the moisture from his own eyes, seeing the brokenness in hers. This assignment, this man, had changed her and he would do everything in his power to bring her back to herself. Cautiously and with infinite gentleness, his fingers touched her swollen cheek and then he leaned in and brushed his lips against it. Pulling back, he brushed some of the hair from her face and tucked several strands behind her ear, "How are you feeling?"

For a heartbeat she wanted to tell him she was okay, but then she remembered she no longer had to hide anything. He knew everything and he was looking at her with absolute tenderness, "I don't feel very well...but I don't want you to go.  
>Please..."<p>

"Not going anywhere," Andrew assured her softly, "When did you last take a pill?"

"I...I didn't take one."

He immediately understood and carefully disentangled himself from her embrace. "I'll be right back, okay? Right back." Andrew saw the anxiety in her eyes and stooped over to kiss the top of her head, "Two minutes, baby. I promise."

He kept his word and returned with a mug in his hand of heated soup and a glass of water. He could not risk giving her the medication on a stomach that had not eaten all day. He sat the mug down on the nightstand and helped her to sit back in bed. He could tell her rib was hurting her by her slow movements, but she finally had leaned back against the pillows and he pulled the blankets snugly around her, "Warm enough?"

A little nod and he helped her with the soup. Andrew could plainly see the little angel's struggle to stay awake; her emotions and body completely spent and he watched sadly as she struggled with the pain of even sipping from the mug. Jumping up again, he vanished down the hall once more and returned with a straw from the kitchen, which he put into the mug, "See if that helps, baby."

It did and Monica managed to drink most of the broth before she took the pain medication. Andrew had also put more ice in the pack for her cheek and he hesitated briefly. He was so afraid of causing her more pain.

But despite her physical pain and exhaustion, Monica moved over in her bed slightly, her dark eyes pleading with him. She could not bear to be alone in this a second longer, especially in the darkness of night, "Please?" Her voice was scarcely a whisper.

Kicking off his shoes, Andrew slid into the bed next to her and waited until she slowly situated herself in his arms, her head pillowed against his chest, his heartbeat next to her ear. Not even the cold ice pack could diminish the incredible warmth and love she was feeling at that moment. How she had longed for this the last time Ian had struck her.

"Thank you," She breathed out the words on a prayer, the pill already working on her angelic system and pushing her closer to the sleep her body craved.

"Rest, sweet angel," Andrew whispered, holding her with one arm around her shoulders and his other hand resting over hers that lay across his chest. He felt her relax and he could tell this was the most at ease she had felt in weeks, "That's my angel girl."

"Love you..." She murmured as she fell into a deep sleep.

"Angel, you have no idea," Though exhausted himself, he elected to stay awake awhile longer just to watch her sleep and to ponder if it was possible for him to suddenly feel even more protective of her now than he had ever been in the past. Someone had dared to hurt her and he only knew he would go to the ends of the earth to keep it from ever happening again.

Andrew longed to hold her more tightly, but knowing such a gesture could hurt her, he satisfied himself with stroking her hair and laying tender kisses against her auburn hair, trying to convey his great love for her any way he could.

"Father," He whispered, knowing the little angel was sleeping too deeply to be awakened by his voice, "Please, she has known so much pain lately. Give her only peaceful dreams tonight."


	25. Chapter 24

**CHAPTER 24**

Early morning turned into late morning, pushing afternoon before the little angel slowly opened her eyes. She was immediately aware of the warmth of Andrew's body beneath her own and his fingers running lazily through her hair and she closed her eyes again for a moment, savouring the feeling.

Andrew knew she was awake, but remained quiet, content to allow her to come to full wakefulness slowly. Several times, he had debated getting up to fix her something for breakfast but had changed his mind. His prayers had been answered and she had slept peacefully all night and he knew she was long overdue to sleep until her body awoke naturally. He was not at all surprised when she slept until nearly noon and he had decided he was not leaving her alone even long enough to cook her something.

Another ten minutes passed before Monica opened her eyes once more and breathed out her first sentence, "Thank you for staying."

"Nothing would have kept me away, baby," He replied gently. He had a feeling she was going to have a hard time getting rid of him any time soon, "How are you feeling?"

"Not as tired, but sore. My cheek..." Slowly, she sat up, allowing Andrew to help her. Walking over to the mirror, she drew in a sharp breath.

She hadn't looked at herself since Ian had hit her; the thought had never occurred to her yesterday, mostly due to her fear about her most treasured friendship. She wasn't one to cultivate vanity; it simply wasn't who she was, but the feeling of her cheek throbbing painfully had made her curious enough to look, but she had never expected to see such swelling, and the whole area was starting to badly bruise and the bandage over the cut stood out starkly on her skin. It was as if the ugliest parts of Ian were being transformed on her own body.

But Andrew would not let her dwell in any sadness. Walking up behind her, he rested his hands on her shoulders and squeezed tenderly, "It will be so much better in just a few days, Angel."

"It's so ugly." She whispered, not really referring to her face but more to the blackness that filled Ian's soul.

"No," Turning her to face him, with infinite care, he cupped the offended cheek in his hand, "It's a sign of the bravery of the most courageous heart I have ever known. Your courage saved Caroline and spared the horses more than once, but that is who you have always been. You have always given up yourself for whoever needs you and it is one of the things I love so much about you."

Tears shimmered in her dark eyes and she moved into his arms to hug him tightly, "Thank you."

"Not for that, baby."

"Knock, knock," The sound of Raphael's voice interrupted them and Andrew called out for him to come in.

"Buenos Dias," He grinned and if he was shocked by Monica's face, he gave no indication, "I knew our angelita would need to take medication and it should not be taken on an empty stomach," He pulled a small container of yogurt and a spoon from behind his back.

He had brought nothing she had to attempt to chew and in that small gesture, Monica was all the more aware of her friendship with the Hispanic angel, "Thank you, Raphael."

Andrew watched with tender eyes as she stepped forward to hug their angelic friend. He knew that right now she felt safe and cared for and to him it was the only thing that currently mattered.

X

The days passed terribly slowly for Monica as she spent most of her time sitting in bed and staring out the window. Despite the fact that vanity was never a part of an angel's character, she could not bear to go out in public when the marks of the violence she had been a victim of were still so much exposed. In this meantime, however, the little angel had concrete proof that she was much loved by her friends. Andrew never left her side and Rafael and Tess came to see her constantly. The supervisor told her about a project developed by the local church and an association that treated children with special needs and Monica was happy to hear that some children were making great progress.

The Snyder's were also constant guests and in a way they felt guilty for what had happened to Monica. And Caroline would knock on the door in the rare moments when she noticed that Andrew was not around. They would not speak much, as it seemed that the image of the hurt angel standing before her made her realise the abuse she had been suffering along the last couple of years. The truth brought by Monica was yet to set her free. But for now it only caused her amazing sadness.

The sunrays and the warm day that was announced on that morning finally raised Monica's curiosity. Besides, she woke up with a pair of bright black eyes gazing at her filled with expectation. Brady's pawns were propped against the side of Monica's bed and he wagged his tail, eliciting a slight smile from her.

"Good morning, wee Brady. I take it you slept well, didn't you?" She stroked his head, feeling the soft fur in her fingertips. Andrew had spent the first days of her recovery by her side but, being afraid to hurt her, the blond angel would remain sitting by her bed until she fell asleep and only left her side after he was sure she was having a peaceful sleep. And he knew that they were so spiritually connected that if she had a nightmare he would know immediately.

Slowly, Monica got off the bed and walked up to the adjoined bathroom. She washed her face and looked at herself in the mirror. The marks were gradually disappearing and she let out a soft sigh. Her human form was recovering but the marks left in her soul would still take some time to heal.

A while later, Monica was in the stables with Grace and her loyal guardian standing at her feet. Following her instructions, Rafael had been treating Grace's leg and once in a while Monica herself would go there at night to make sure the beautiful mare was doing alright.

"Ah, sweet Grace... Did you think I would leave you here? I most certainly wouldn't, sweetheart. I'm sorry for my absence." She held the animal's neck and caressed her short brown fur.

"She knew you would come back, angel."

Monica turned around to see Andrew standing behind her. There was a slightly pleased expression on his face and there were two reasons for that: the first one was that the bruises on her face were already fading. And the second was due to the fact that she had finally decided to leave her room under the day light and not hiding in the dark shadows of the night.

"Good morning, Andrew..." she shyly greeted him, watching as he came closer to her. "You were not around when I woke up and I assumed you were resting a little... which makes total sense as I've been keeping you quite busy lately..."

Smiling, he inched a bit closer and kissed her temple. "No, you haven't. Taking care of you is always a privilege."

"You are far too kind..." She spoke, serene, despite the slight seriousness that remained on her face. She hadn't been smiling lately.

"I think I am... after all I've just prepared a large mug of mocha latte going against Tess' recommendations not to feed you with any sort of coffee grain at least until you are fully recovered."

And to his delight, a shy, nearly childish smile finally graced her meek Gaelic face.

"Is it inside the house?" She wanted to know, and Andrew wrapped his arm around her small shoulders, bringing her closer to him.

"Why don't you tell Grace that you'll be back in a while, huh? I'm sure she'll be glad to wait until you finish your mocha!"

Monica caressed the soft spot between Grace's eyes and allowed Andrew to guide her out of the stable and back to the guest house.

There were just the couple of angels sitting by the table, a few minutes later, and Andrew watched as his sweet friend savoured her favourite beverage and seemed get lost in her thoughts for a moment. Looking at her eyes, he knew that these thoughts were not sad, yet, they were creating a pensive expression on her face.

"I'm wondering if she'll be able to run again..." She spoke, finally noticing his questioning gaze at her.

"How is she doing?"

"The damage in her leg seems to be subsiding... But I wonder if forcing her to run again would cause her more pain."

"The next race will happen in two months. Do you think she could do it?"

"I'm honestly not sure...But on the other hand, I have to think about the farm."

"Their situation isn't good, angel. I'm afraid the Snyder's will end up having to sell the property."

The little angel left out a tired sigh and remained in silence for a while, fidgeting with the half empty mug in her hands. Finally, she looked up at him and spoke softly. "I will train her."

Andrew tilted his head, as if he had not fully understood the words that came out of her mouth. Noticing this, Monica let go of the mug she had been holding and reached for his hand. "I feel I can do it. I feel... it is the right thing to be done."

The blond angel's first thought was not a happy one, though. What if she could not make it? What if she put all her efforts on that new chore and in the end, Grace did not correspond to everybody's expectations and lost the race once again? It would certainly crush her spirit.

But the latest events had taught them to be completely honest with each other and noticing the questioning expression on her face, he chose his next words carefully. "Angel... you know that Grace is... quite hurt and..."

"I know she might not win." Monica gently interrupted him, never releasing his hand and aware of his protective feelings towards her; this would never change and she was grateful for that. "Actually, I know that there is a good possibility she doesn't win the race. But I know too that I have an assignment to accomplish here, that it's not finished yet. Caroline was faced with the truth but now she needs to learn from it."

Relieved to hear that, Andrew nodded and looked deep in her eyes – beautiful brown pools that still held much sadness but which were starting to shine with hope again, much to his delight. But he knew that it would be a long way before Monica let go of all the pain that had been inflicted on her in that farm. And he secretly hoped and prayed that their assignment there ended soon so he would be able to take her to some place away from there; maybe even away from the human race, which was now responsible for the angel's sorrow.

He took her hand up to his lips. "I trust Caroline couldn't have a better angel to watch over her. And I also know that Grace will never feel pain again under your care."

"There you are! I thought about making a surprise for Monica but I did not think Andrew had taken care of everything!"

Jonathan's voice interrupted that conversation and made both angels look towards the kitchen door. He had a basket in her hands and from the smell that came from it, they could tell it was filled with muffins, fresh bread, cheese and some other food that would make anyone's breakfast a happy one.

"I should know better!" added the old man, genuinely glad to see that Andrew was watching over the cheerful Irish vet.

"Good morning, Mr Snyder." She greeted him with a faint smile, but it meant some progress anyway.

"Good morning, dear. Margaret and I want you guys to have this..." he said, placing the basket over the table.

"You didn't have to, really..."

"Of course we did!" He replied, smiling. "But we know that there is a long line of people ready to take care of you, and Andrew here is always gonna be the first one!"

Monica's smile grew wide at that comment as she knew it was nothing but the truth. She turned her eyes at her dearest friend and saw that he chuckled and lowered his head, always avoiding self praising. It was one of the many qualities that she loved about Andrew: his selflessness and the pleasure he found in helping other people without expecting anything in return.

But long ago, she had made a promise to spend the rest of her eternity letting him know how dear he was to her.


	26. Chapter 25

**CHAPTER 25**

The days started to pass by faster now that Monica was little by little coming to her old self. The permanent contact with nature and the animals were a crucial point to that recovery. Besides this, Caroline was more accessible and once in a while they had the opportunity to exchange a few words. The young woman was still distant and avoiding much talking to anyone, not only regarding the little angel but everyone around her.

There were still many moments, however, in which the memory of Ian's hurtful words would echo in her mind, causing the angel to shed some hidden tears. And Andrew knew it – years of experience had taught him to be aware of every small change in her sweet character, making him ready to go and rescue her from sorrow.

And the blond angel had been in his office, focused on a report he would present to the bank with a new proposal to pay Safe Haven's debt. A light knock on the door, which was already half open, took him out of his thoughts and a smile graced his concentrated face as he saw Monica standing there.

"Hullo Andrew... I'm sorry I interrupted you..." she said, shyly, but with a slight smile.

"Come on in, angel. You're not interrupting anything!"

The Irish angel gave some steps ahead and stopped in front of his table, eyeing at him with an undecided look on her face. Andrew looked at the glass of orange juice she was holding over a small tray and raised his eyebrows playfully. "Is that for Brady?"

"Well... actually Brady is not very fond of juice, you see..." Unaware of his joke, she knitted her eyebrows together in a pensive way, which was entirely endearing to him. "...Actually, it would not do any harm to his organism."

Chuckling, Andrew let go of the pen he was holding and propped his elbows on the table, his hands folded together. "Hum... In that case, I haven't seen him around..."

Monica tilted her head and only then realised he was teasing her. "For your information, Brady is outside keeping an eye at the wee foals. And this is not meant for him anyway. I made it for you!" she said, matter-of-factly, which only amused him even more.

As she placed the glass over the table, he reached for her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Thank you, angel."

"It's the least I can do when I know you will be here for the entire day."

"I'll work much better knowing that now you will be truly at peace there at the stables."

"I know. And I do hope that in these calculations of yours you find the best way for Caroline to negotiate the debt with the bank."

He nodded his head and looked deep inside those sweet brown eyes – it seemed he was looking inside her soul. "She's outside, isn't she?"

Monica conjoined her hands and nodded. "At the stables, if I'm not mistaken."

Andrew stood up and walked around the table, so he could stay face to face with her. Holding her both hands, he offered a supportive smile. "I know that every day you manage to get a bit closer to her."

On the following second, the Irish angel opened her arms and gave him an affectionate embrace; there were no words at first, but he knew everything she wanted to tell him just by that small gesture.

"Will I have the pleasure to see you at lunchtime?" he wanted to know, gently combing her long auburn strands.

"I do hope so."

She pulled away some instants later and turned her eyes to him. "Thank you."

"I'm the one who should thank you, angel."

Andrew's eyes followed her small figure until she disappeared through the door. And when she did so, it seemed that the office became truly empty and lifeless.

X

Caroline paced slowly inside the stables, her blue eyes carefully scanning the area and its inhabitants, all so dear to her. She had grown up there and had so many memories of that place that her heart ached every time she thought about the possibility of losing it all.

Looking at Amazing Grace, the young woman reached out and caressed her soft fur. "I'm so sorry, dear. Things should never end this way..."

"They don't have to end this way, Caroline."

Monica's soft voice reached her ears and she turned around to see the angel in human form approaching her. Now on the day light she could see that the angry marks on her face had finally disappeared and Monica's expression was serene and confident. She wished she had the same capacity of recovery, but her soul was way too hurt.

"Otherwise, what would Andrew and I be doing here?"

"I wish I had the same faith you do, Monica... But sometimes I'm afraid that if I do become hopeful, everything will turn out wrong and I'll end up getting disappointed all over again."

Monica gave a step closer and looked at her in the eyes. "Because this is what's been happening in your life in the last couple of years, isn't it?"

Caroline lowered her eyes in shame. "What happened to you... to me... it won't stop crossing my mind and when I think about Ian and what he's done to both of us... When I think about the way I allowed him to treat me... Would you believe that I hate myself for that?"

The Irish angel was broken hearted at hearing that confession. "Oh, no... No, Caroline..." she took the girl's hand and made her sit on a nearby bench. "Don't you see, Caroline? This is what Ian always made you to feel like, the consequence of his constant abuse!"

"And why did I allow someone to do something like that to me, Monica? Why didn't I react?"

"Because you thought it was love."

A tear fell from her eye and she let out a tired sob. She had been doing this a lot lately. "I guess I might have done something terrible to deserve what's happening to me now... it might be some sort of punishment from God."

"Caroline, what kind of Father would punish his daughter in such a cruel way?"

The young woman remained in silence for a moment.

"Please forgive me for what I'm going to say but, believing that Ian would change and become a loving partner, you allowed his abuse."

"I believe you're right..."

Monica reached out and squeezed her hand. "So it is not time to keep wondering about what is past... It's time for you to start paying attention to your future, Caroline. You are going to reconstruct your life and you are not alone, you have loving parents to support you."

She nodded. "Do you think I'll lose my farm?"

"I don't know. But what I do know is that, whatever happens, you need to recover the courage that you had when you decided to run this place."

"I wonder if I'll ever be able to."

"One day at a time, Caroline. One day at a time."

Caroline gave a bittersweet smile. "I don't know how to thank you enough... I don't even believe you are here and doing this for us after all that's happened, Monica."

"I'll stay until I'm not needed any longer."

"I doubt this moment will ever come. My parents have already adopted you! Plus, they're also very fond of Andrew. You two became part of the family already." For the first time, the girl smiled.

"Mr and Mrs Snyder are very kind."

The young woman rose to her feet and wiped away her tears. "It took me some time to say so, but I'm also very grateful that you two are here."

Saying that, Caroline left the stables without looking back, but for the first time Monica saw the signs of the progress she was making.


	27. Chapter 26

**CHAPTER 26**

The lazy spring afternoon fell slowly and quietly in Safe Haven and a more attentive look would observe as nature followed its course as the bird population seemed to increase day after day and wee animals such as squirrels and raccoons moved nervously here and there trying to make up for the long cold days that were now left behind. To angels in human form, that atmosphere reminded them of their Home, especially now that Ian seemed to have disappeared for good, leaving behind only scars that would hopefully heal with time.

These terrible thoughts kept crossing Andrew's mind once in a while, especially when he was alone in his office and after working for several hours non-stop. That was why he made a pause in his duties and left the main house towards the stable. Even though he knew that Monica was now safe from all the harm and pain Ian could cause, the blond angel had promised himself that he would always keep an eye on her until that assignment was over.

Andrew could hear Grace's trotting at a distance and as he came closer, it was possible to clearly distinguish the animal and the angel in an open field. He walked up to the white fence that isolated the stables area from the rest of the farm. He did not cross that barrier so immediately, though.

Leaning against the fence, forearms leaning against the white wood, the blond angel watched as his dearest friend rode Grace with distinguished elegance. Monica looked nearly ethereal as her auburn strands flew freely in the air. The joy on her meek face was also reflected in the spark of her doe-like eyes and Andrew was happy to see the slight smile that graced her features. The blond angel also observed that the mare was no longer favouring on her leg thanks to Monica's care and he was also thankful for that.

Brady walked in his direction and sat down next to him, also observing his mistress attentively.

"Looks like we both have to learn to share her a bit, right, buddy?" Andrew joked, stroking the dog's head as the animal wagged its tail at him.

He could have stayed there contemplating Monica's beautiful figure for hours to come but the little Irish angel soon noticed a pair of caring green eyes following her every movement. Her smile grew wider and she waved at him, and gently guided Grace towards her dearest friend.

"This is the best audience Grace and I would ever ask for!" She joked, her smile and her slightly blushed cheeks only made her even more adorable to Andrew.

"Well, you two are by far the most beautiful contestants!"

Blushing even more, the Irish angel ran her fingers over Grace's neck. "She's getting better, isn't she? I don't think she's in pain like before!"

Andrew also reached out and stroked the animal's neck. "She's definitely getting better, angel. Anyone can see Grace is healing and you're responsible for that!"

Monica looked at him with tenderness and gratitude. "We were planning to have a walk up to the lake. And we would be very happy if you could come with us!"

Chuckling, he nodded his head. "It would be a pleasure!"

A while later, the two angels crossed the farm fields; Andrew riding Joy and Monica still guiding Grace. There was no need to hurry, so Brady was also able to follow the group. When they finally got at the lake Andrew was the first one to dismount and scanned the area around them. The afternoon sunrays were still shining against the still crystal waters which reflected the blue sky and the green vegetation around. It was as peaceful and quiet as it should be. Then, the blond angel came by Grace's side and helped Monica to come down, and hand in hand, the couple of angels started a slow walk along the lake banks.

"I'm glad I still did not learn how to make the wee pebbles kick on the water, you know, Andrew."

"You're glad? Why is that so, angel?" he wanted to know, both intrigued and amused by the way she spoke.

"If I had learned then I would not have an excuse to make you teach me that again!" She gave his hand a gentle squeeze.

Chuckling, Andrew took her hand to his lips. "Well, it will be a pleasure to teach you again, angel, but when you learn it, then I'll find something else to teach you so I have an excuse to steal you from Tess once in a while!"

The sound of her giggling was music to his ears. "I'll be glad when you come to take me away." She stopped their slow walk so that they were standing face to face now. "But you don't need an excuse for that!"

The warm embrace that followed lasted for a small eternity and a wave of peace invaded their hearts for the moment. Andrew kissed the top of her head and gently combed her long hair with his fingers, even though he remained in silence, fearing that any words could spoil the moment. It was the little angel who broke the silence.

"I'm finally making Caroline open her heart... She listened to what I had to say for the first time; she could hear the Father's words without being so defensive."

"I'm happy to hear that, angel... How is she?" he wanted to know, aware that they were going to bring about a very hurtful subject.

Monica let go of his embrace and searched for his hand, guiding him up to a nearby fallen tree trunk, which they used as a bench. The blond angel could clearly recognise the sadness on her meek face and he knew that it was not only due to Caroline's sad past.

There were memories of her own crossing her mind, memories of what Ian did to her and those were enough to bring back Andrew's anger at the man who dared to cause pain and suffering to someone he loved with all his heart and soul.

"She is... blaming herself for what happened. She feels unworthy and unable to move on with her life as there is always Ian's voice in the back of her head and the terrible words he told her along these years."

Andrew nodded his head slowly. "I understand."

"I'm still very sorry for her..."

"She has an angel by her side, and I'm sure she will recover her strength and faith."

"I hope so... I hope she is as blessed as I was, because I too had an angel by my side to make me realise I'm much loved... You were by my side the whole time, telling or showing me that I was worthy and much loved when I felt I was a failure."

The weight of her last words made him shake his head in disagreement and look back at her. "You are a gift, Monica. A gift from the Father to this world and to all those who are blessed enough to have you crossing their path. And to me, in particular."

There was a bittersweet tone in his voice and Monica knew that somehow the roles had been reversed then. Andrew held his gaze on her for a few moments, clearly making out a shelter of hope and peace in the spark of those sweet brown pools he would never get tired of contemplating.

Only when he finally turned his eyes away from hers did she speak again. "And don't you know you are a gift to me yourself, Andrew? Don't you know that I take to my heart like a precious memory every little thing that you teach me, from the tiniest simple actions like throwing pebbles at the lake waters to casting away the sorrow and pain from my heart and filling it with hope and faith."

Despite her words, the expression on his face still held much sadness. "I'm afraid my actions haven't been that angelic lately."

Moved at the way guilt was tearing him apart, she let go of his hand and touched his heart. "I beg to differ. There are so many noble feelings in here; feelings that could only come from an angel of God. The most loving angel I could ever meet."

Andrew could not bear hearing that when he thought about his latest actions. Frowning with anguish, he conjoined his hands together, still staring at the ground as he did not have the courage to face her after his next words. "I'm not sorry for what I did to Ian. I'm not sorry that I hit him."

Monica shed a tear at his confession; his voice was low and she knew he was ashamed. "Oh, my dear Andrew..."

"I'm not sorry for my anger towards him for what he did to you. Once you told me I was an angel of God before I was an angel of my own heart and I'm afraid I did not act accordingly."

"And yet, I know you asked for the Father's forgiveness."

"Only because I acted against His will, but never because I feel sorry for that man."

"Which only makes you the noble angel I just talked about." Monica gently cupped his cheek and made him look back at her. "You and I are not perfect, Andrew, and you had the right to be angry because what he did goes against God's teachings; it was mean and cruel. And knowing you the way I do, I know you would never act indifferently to cruelty."

"But I did not have the right to lose control of my anger the way I did."

"Your latest actions only came out because of the injustice and violence that this man caused me. It was the only way you found to fight evil and defend someone in need. Please, do not be ashamed at that." She caressed his short blond hair. "You've already asked for the Father's forgiveness and you and I know that He has already forgiven you. Now please forgive yourself because neither me or Tess or Rafael and those who live on this farm think less of you because of what happened. Much on the contrary... We all know of your true loving nature. So forgive yourself and let God judge this man."

Those words went straight to his heart and brought him the comfort he had been looking for since the incident happened. Andrew looked at her for a few moments and, unable to express how grateful he was, he pulled her into his arms for a tight embrace.

"Angel... I think there will never be a day I won't thank God for placing you in my existence..." he spoke, breathing in the sweet perfume of her auburn hair.

"You are a blessing, Andrew... I love you so much; please keep this in your heart."

"For the rest of my eternity, baby."

They remained in that loving embrace for some time, until the blond angel regretfully broke the silence. "The night will fall soon. What do you think of us going back to the main house?"

"As an angel of truth I have to tell you that I do not like your idea because I'm perfectly fine here." She said, and only then pulled away just enough to look at his face. "But you know everything about Geography and moving across the lands so I know leaving now is the best to be done. Plus, the nights have been so clear and warm lately that I think I can have the stars class to replace the wee pebbles one. It could happen some other day." She said, winking at him in a way that only made her look even more adorable to him, if it was ever possible.

His smile warmed Monica's heart and she could not help it but to inch closer and brush a loving kiss on his cheek.

"I love you, angel. With all my heart." He said, taking her hand to his lips.

He helped her to her feet and, hand in hand, they walked up to the animals. Brady greeted them and received a special scratch in the back of his ears from his mistress. They did not use the horses to return; taking Grace and Joy by the lead, both angels started a slow and pleasant walk back at the farm house and they both knew that the Father Himself was watching over them and sending His blessings to the two heavenly creatures.


	28. Chapter 27

**CHAPTER 27**

Saturday morning breakfast had become one of Monica's favourite times on the farm. It wasn't so much that Margaret fixed a huge meal of eggs, toast, sausage, bacon and a blueberry pancakes, which just so happened to be the little angel's favourite, but because the atmosphere was more relaxed. It was not a typical work day and though there would be business to attend to during the day, the meal on Saturday morning was one to be relished as laughter and conversation filled the warm kitchen.

Jonathan and Margaret had watched over the last few weeks as Monica had slowly been coming back to herself. Though they, at times, could still see some uncertainty in her dark eyes, she was at least beginning to relax a bit more and the pain that had been a constant companion for far too long was truly fading now.

Only Caroline was missing from breakfast on that sunny spring morning and Monica managed to not let her concern show as she listened to the playful banter at the table between her friends, both angelic and human. Ever since she had returned to the main house after her last encounter with Ian, Andrew had elected to vacate his seat from across the table to sitting directly next to her; a stalwart loving presence close enough that he could touch her if he sensed her thoughts becoming sad or troubled. She couldn't imagine loving him more.

"More coffee, Monica?" Jonathan walked back over to the table with the coffee pot in hand.

"That would be lovely," She smiled up at him and held out her mug so he could fill it.

The man waited until she had added her cream and sugar before he exchanged a look with his wife and then sat down next to Margaret at the table, "Wanted to talk to you about something. I've already discussed it with Margaret and Caroline and even Raphael here. Seems you two are the only ones left, so I guess it's time to get down to business."

A nervous expression flitted across Monica's face as she glanced at Andrew and then over at Raphael. But the Hispanic angel only smiled, which relaxed her a fraction, "What is it, Jonathan?"

"Well, I was down at the track yesterday when you were working with Grace and I'm quite pleased with what I saw. She seems to be doing well. Do you think she'll be ready to race in four weeks?"

The little angel looked undecided as her fingers toyed with her mug of coffee, "I would like to say yes, but the truth is that I don't know yet. She's doing well, it's true and her heart wants to race, but she is still recovering. She was abused by Ian and it is just taking a wee bit of time to bring her back to herself, you see."

Reaching under the table, Andrew rested his hand on her knee. He knew her words were not only true of Grace and his heart ached at knowing she was also referring to herself, even if she didn't realize it.

"You know her well," Jonathan continued gently, "In fact, I've never seen anyone so in tune to an animal."

Monica's brow furrowed in confusion, "I just listen to her. She may not speak in words, but she communicates. All of God's creations do. People just need to learn to listen."

"I couldn't agree more," Margaret spoke up, "Our last trainer didn't have a clue about that unfortunately."

She hated talking about Ian; it bothered her more than she cared to admit and Caroline's absence this morning made it impossible for her to get the man off her mind. Reaching down, she laced her fingers through Andrew's, seeking what only he could give her in this moment. The emotion in her throat eased as soon as she felt him squeeze her hand, relaying his understanding without words being spoken.

But Jonathon also picked up on Monica's unease and cleared his throat, "Monica, we've all talked about it and we are all in agreement and we only hope that you will agree as well. We would like you to jockey Amazing Grace in the race."

Monica's eyes widened. She had never expected this, "But...Raphael..."

"No te preocupes por mí, Angelita. This race, it belongs to Grace...and to you."

"But I've never ridden in a race before," Her confidence still had moments of faltering and the last thing she wanted to do was to let anyone down by losing. Nervous brown eyes looked over at Andrew and she was almost startled to see the great tenderness in his eyes.

"You're a wonderful rider, Angel," He stated softly, reaching up to stroke her cheek, soothing some of the fear from her face, "and no one knows Grace better than you do. I truly believe this would be good for you."

"Si. I could not agree more," Raphael added with a grin, though Monica's eyes were still holding Andrew's gaze.

Biting her lower lip, still somewhat worried, the little angel faced the Snyder's', "I would be willing, I think...under two conditions."

Jonathan raised his eyebrows in amusement and noticed how Andrew bit back a chuckle, but Margaret answered with a little smile, "We're listening, dear."

"Well...if I ride her for the race and I sense her leg is causing her pain, I will not push her. I could not bear to have her lame for the sake of a race."

"We're counting on that, Monica," Jonathan replied seriously, "And that is one of the many reason we want you to jockey her. We want her healthy when this is all over. Now, what is your other stipulation?"

"That if we win, I want to have a business meeting with you and Andrew. I have a proposition, an idea if you will, for the farm. A way to save it long term."

Now Andrew was truly surprised. Monica had not mentioned any idea to him but he could see by the expression on her face that it was something she had been thinking about for some time. The little angel had always been full of surprises and he was glad to see some of that part of her personality reappearing.

"I can agree to hear you out," Jonathan winked at her, feeling much better when she smiled shyly in return.

"Well, as that is now settled, come with me, young lady. I need to get measurements for your silks!" As Margaret got up from the table and waited for Monica to join her as Raphael excused himself to go get some cleaning done at the stables. He tried to get as much of the dirty work finished before Monica got there.

"I won't keep her long, Andrew." Margaret smiled as she wrapped her arm around Monica's shoulders and led her down the hallway.

The blond angel ducked his head to hide the color he felt rising to his cheeks, but he was really quite pleased with the Snyder's request for Monica to ride Grace in a few weeks. Her confidence had taken a knocking with Ian and racing Grace would help her gain some of it back.

"I'm pleased that she agreed," Jonathan remarked to Andrew, as he picked up his mug of coffee and took another sip.

"So am I." The angel agreed as he reached for another slice of bacon, "I think she needs this more than she realizes."

The man looked thoughtful for a moment before he spoke again, "You know, I have tried to apologize to her for what happened to her here on the farm, but she won't hear of it."

"She doesn't need that from you, Jonathan. You had no idea it was going on and Monica doesn't hold you responsible for it in any way."

Silence filled the room again for a moment and Andrew found himself wondering what the human was thinking about. Thankfully, it wasn't long until he spoke again.

"Caroline is seeing that man, you know. I've known it for a long time and though I didn't like him, I certainly never thought Ian was capable of hurting a woman physically like he did to Monica. Nearly makes me feel sick when I think of it. And now I have to wonder if he has done the same to my daughter."

Andrew met his green eyes with his friend, employer and assignment, "Monica has reason to believe he has. The first time Ian hit her...she stopped him from hurting Caroline."

"Thought as much," Jonathan replied quietly, "It's taking everything in me to not go after that man myself. Caroline is an adult and she is with him willingly; my interfering would only anger her, but that doesn't keep me from wanting to punch Ian's face in."

Letting out a long breath, Andrew tried to compose himself enough to speak as an angel of God should. Fact was, he had done just that to Ian and he wasn't sorry for it. If the man ever laid another hand on Monica again, he would not think twice before doing the same thing, "You know, I can completely understand that. But I also know that the way I reacted was probably not ideal, though in the moment there didn't seem to be any other way to act. I saw him hit Monica and I could see no further than that," That horrible image flashed before his mind's eye again at the mention of it, "But yet I don't know that answering violence with more of the same is any way to resolve things. That was the reason Monica never told me what was happening to her. She knew it was not part of who I was to hit anyone, but she also knew how protective of her I am. Just as Caroline knows that as her father, your need to protect her will always be there, but she also thinks she loves this man."

"And I don't understand that at all. Why on earth would any girl want to be treated that way? Why would she stay with someone who treated her that way?" Jonathan ran his hand over his face, suddenly feeling very old, "Margaret has no idea, thank goodness. I don't think she'd be able to keep quiet about it and maybe we shouldn't keep quiet at all but when Caroline was growing up, any boy we had concerns about, she would go out of her way to keep seeing. I don't think much has changed."

"Jonathan, she needs to come to realize for herself that this man is not what God or her parents want for her. I will tell you that Monica is trying to talk to her and hopefully Caroline will listen one day soon."

"Hope so, Andrew. But if I happen to run into that monster in town anytime soon...well, God help me."

There wasn't much the angel could say about that. He understood all too well.


	29. Chapter 28

**CHAPTER 28**

The next few days passed with both busyness and peace for Monica as she worked with Grace. She was up early as the days were getting a bit warmer and down at the track with the mare by 6:00 to get her warmed up before breakfast. As much as she wanted Grace to win, she more wanted Grace to win pain-free. For the angel, there was simply no other option. She worked hard enough that she fell into bed exhausted at the end of the day, and slightly annoyed with the limitations of her human body.

The sun was shining brightly one afternoon as Monica urged Grace around the track. She was purposefully holding the horse back, even though Grace seemed to want to run faster, but the angel was in no hurry for the horse to run at full force yet.

As she slowed her to the trot, Monica felt eyes upon her that she knew did not belong to Andrew. She could instantly sense his presence in her heart when he was nearby unless she was thoroughly absorbed in what she was doing. Glancing over, she noticed Caroline leaning over the fence, watching.

Smiling, Monica directed Grace in the direction of her assignment, "Hullo, Caroline."

"Hey, Monica. She's looking good, isn't she?"

"She is. I was holding her back as she wanted to run faster but there is plenty of time for that."

"So you think she will be ready?"

"I have no reason yet to believe she won't be." Reaching down, Monica patted the horse's neck affectionately. Noticing how Caroline did not immediately say anything else, she turned her eyes back to the human, "Is there something else other than Grace on your mind?"

Caroline was silent another moment before she spoke carefully, "I have been thinking a lot about what you have told me in the past, Monica...and I'm considering breaking things off with Ian."

Unable to hide the surprise on her face, Monica dismounted Grace so she could face Caroline directly, "What finally changed your mind?"

Sighing, Caroline avoided the angel's gaze, "Watching the relationship between you and Andrew. I can see how much he loves you and how he treats you. I'm ashamed of how I referred to it before when I said that not everyone treats their girlfriends like a princess. What I think I have come to realize is that maybe the way Andrew treats you is just the right way to treat someone you love."

"Well, you know, Andrew and I are just friends, but we have always been very close. I know he would never hurt me and I think that is an important thing to know about anyone you love. God created his children to care for one another; not hurt each other."

A tiny smile crossed her lips, "You are right about so many things, Monica. Why won't you be honest about your 'friendship' with Andrew? The guy is gorgeous and it is obvious he adores you."

Blushing profusely, the little angel laughed, "Honestly, Caroline, it isn't like that between us, but I am glad that my friendship with Andrew helped you realize that you deserve better. Much better."

"When you say it, Monica, I actually believe it," With a little wave, Caroline turned her back and started the walk up to the house.

X

Andrew sighed and ran a hand through his short, blond hair. With each passing day, the numbers on the paper seemed to get worse and worse. Without the win they had been hoping for at the last race, the farm was in dire straits financially. The bills were piling up and there was not enough money in the bank to pay them all. It was frustrating to say the least.

"Knock, knock."

That sweet Irish lilt was exactly what he needed to hear and he raised his head with a smile, "Come in, Angel Girl."

Walking into the office, her brow knitted in confusion as she surveyed the clutter on his desk, "Are you winning the battle, Andrew?"

Her serious expression endeared her to him all the more, "Doing the best I can, Angel, but things are not looking good at the moment."

"I know," She sighed as she moved to the front of the desk and began tidying up the mounds of papers, "But Grace is doing very well. I would even say I am cautiously optimistic. Oh and Caroline was down earlier and she told me she was thinking of breaking up with Ian," Saying his name seemed to leave a bitter taste in her mouth and her nose crinkled up as she began gathering pencils from all over the desk to place into the holder that had been designed for them, "That worries me a wee bit, you know. Ian doesn't strike me as the kind of person who takes very kindly to people doing things he doesn't want," Another sigh as she knelt down to pick up several balled up papers that had missed the garbage can, "But I know the Father has it all under control and that is why I believe that in the end, all of this will work out just fine. I'm a wee bit nervous about riding Grace in the competition, Andrew. I don't want to do anything wrong or anything to cause her to lose. She wants to run, faster and harder than I will allow her to right now, so she is feeling much better..."

He had watched and listened to her with great affection, fascinated as always with her flurry of activity and chatter, that was both thoughtful and still a little bit nervous. Reaching out, Andrew grabbed her hand to stop her movement and pulled her close to him. Her questioning brown eyes met with his as he stood up and placed a tender hand against her face, "And what about you, Angel? How have you been feeling?"

The warm feeling of his hand on her face instantly calmed her restlessness and a sweet smile crossed her face, "Better," She replied softly, "Mostly because of the great care a very special angel has taken of me...and I love him very much for it."

Her earnest expression and affectionate words touched his heart and Andrew was unable to help but to pull her into his arms for a tight hug, even as he wondered where the great emotion he suddenly felt was coming from, "Just so happens, he loves you too," Came the soft reply as his fingers worked into her auburn locks, "and is so relieved that you are getting better."

Pulling away slightly, Monica smiled up at him, "How could I not with you beside me through all of it?"

"That blessing is purely mine, baby. And it seems I am doubly blessed as I now have a tidy office!" Her little giggle was pure music to his heart especially given the recent dark days of her existence.

"Well, it was the least I could do. Besides, even angels think better when things are not so cluttered." With a playful wink, the little angel stood up on tiptoe and brushed a sweet kiss against his cheek, "See you at dinner."

As she disappeared through the office door, the blond angel was simply left to ponder the emptiness of the room without her and to pray that his existence never experienced the same feeling as the office.


	30. Chapter 29

**CHAPTER 29**

Though she had been sound asleep only moments before, something woke the little Irish angel from her exhausted slumber. Sitting up in bed, Monica rubbed the sleep from her eyes and listened, certain she had heard a noise from inside the house.

Getting up, she grabbed her robe, slipping her arms through it and then she slowly opened her bedroom door. The sound was so quiet that human ears could probably not have heard it, but the tiny sob to Monica was distinct and she quickly walked down the hallway to the living room. Through the darkness, she could just make out a figure huddled on the sofa and her angelic heart instantly knew the late night visitor.

"Caroline?" Coming around to the front of the sofa, the angel gasped as the young woman looked up at her. The human's lip was bleeding and her right eye was already turning shades of black and blue even as it was swelling shut, "Oh Caroline."

"I broke it off with him, Monica...he...he didn't take it too well." Her voice trembled and tears threatened her once more, "My parents...they can't see me like this."

"Can you walk?" Monica was already easing her assignment to her feet, one arm wrapped around her waist for support, "Come with me."

With slow, agonizing steps, the angel led Caroline back to her bedroom and helped to get her into bed, but then she was faced with a quandary, "Caroline, I need to get Andrew. He will know what to do for your injuries much better than I will. Is it all right with you? I want to help you, so please, let us both help you."

Tearfully, Caroline nodded her head and Monica didn't waste another second. Giving a knock on her friend's door, she opened it and softly called out his name.

Andrew was awake instantly, bolting up in bed, "Angel? What is it? Are you all right?" He was already getting up and moving to her, his hands clutching her upper arms as he tried to gauge if she was safe.

"I'm fine. It's Caroline. She broke up with him. He hurt her. You know what to do better than I do with her injuries."

In her eyes he could see the trust that he would help her and he would never disappoint her, "Where is she?"

"In my room."

For the next hour, the two angels tended to their human friend. Monica, under Andrew's guidance, made up an ice pack for Caroline's eye and lip while Andrew cleaned up the blood from the wound and gave the woman leftover pain killers from Monica's episode with Ian. They both questioned Caroline carefully to make sure there was no reason she might need to go to the hospital but she assured them through tears that Ian had only hit her in the face a few times. Despite Monica's pleas, she refused to call the authorities on Ian, stating that now that things were over between them, she didn't want to drag anything out in court. Even the little angel could understand that point; she never wanted to see the man again.

"You were right," Caroline murmured as the pain medication began to take its toll, "I should have ended it a long time ago. I'm sorry I didn't listen...and I'm sorry for what he did to you..." On the last word, the woman's eyes slid shut as she dropped off to sleep.

The two angels were quiet for a moment before Andrew looked over at his friend, suddenly seeing the exhaustion and strain around her eyes. The last hour had taken a painful toll on her as well as she relived moments of her own existence she would rather forget.

"Thank you for helping me." Monica managed a faint smile, "She should sleep through the night and tomorrow I will try to convince her to let me get Margaret and Jonathan."

"You never need to thank me for helping you," Andrew replied softly, reaching to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear, "Now, Caroline is not the only one who needs to get some rest."

"I can take the couch for the night-." Monica began but Andrew was not having any part of that.

"You can bunk up with me for the night, Angel. That way you will be closer if Caroline wakes up and needs you." That was the excuse he was using. The truth was that he was suddenly terribly concerned for her again and he wanted her close.

"I don't want to be a bother. Maybe I should just stay here in the chair-."

"Monica, you have never been a bother to me. Ever. And you have been working so hard with Grace; up early and to bed late and you need your rest," His voice was stern and not allowing for any argument. Getting up from his chair, he reached for her hand to help her to her feet.

As his fingers grasped hers and she got up from her chair, Monica felt the exhaustion that had infected every part of her body, and it was just a natural response for her to lean her head against his shoulder as his arm wrapped around her waist to guide her to his room. Short minutes later, the little angel was nestled in next to him, her pillow abandoned for his chest and his strong arms holding her close. She was barely able to murmur a "good night" before her dark eyes had slipped shut.

"Rest, precious angel," Andrew whispered to her sleeping form as he kissed the top of her head and then allowed himself to drift off to sleep.

XX

"This is all your fault!" Ian's livid voice woke the angel from her sleep as she bolted up in bed, completely confused and frightened. Andrew was no longer next to her and Ian's towering frame was blocking the doorway to the bedroom.

"Get away from me! You aren't supposed to be here! You're not allowed to be here!" Monica was already scampering to free herself from the blankets to get to her feet, afraid of being anymore vulnerable to him.

"She never would have broken up with me had you not talked her into it!" He growled at her as he took another threatening step in her direction, "I thought you would have learned your lesson the last time, but I was apparently wrong! I won't make the same mistake again! I should have known the only way to shut you up was to silence you for good!"

He was approaching her more quickly now and the little angel was terrified. There was no way she could escape as he was blocking the only door, "Andrew is here...he will be back in a minute."

Ian laughed; a cruel laugh that spoke of a man with no conscience, "I took care of him first. I'm not as stupid as you are. I don't repeat my mistakes. I got rid of him first and now I am going to do the same to you."

"Andrew!" The terror that filled her heart nearly brought her to her knees. Had he hurt her dearest friend? "What have you done to him! You are pure evil! What made you so cruel and hateful, Ian? Why don't you have a soul?"

"Shut up!" His fist connected with her jaw and she stumbled but braced herself against the wall and remained standing. Her vision was blurred from the pain and the force of his punch and she struggled to clear her mind.

But a moment later his hands were reaching for her throat and she was fighting him with every fiber of her being. Her hands struck out, small fists trying to connect with him any way she could hit him, as strangled mewing cries escaped her.

"Monica! Monica! Wake up!" Andrew was nearly frantic as he was finally able to gently stop her flailing fists by taking them into one hand. She was crying and fighting and he had spent the last few terrifying moments trying to wake her, "Baby, please. Wake up, Angel. I'm here. It's just a dream. A terrible, terrible dream."

Somehow his desperate voice finally penetrated through the night terror that held her in its grasp as her frightened eyes flew open and darted from his face to every corner of the room, "Ian...where is he? Andrew, are you all right? Did he hurt you? Where is he? He's here!"

"Shhh," Releasing his hold on her hands, Andrew gently stroked her face, longing to comfort her tormented heart, "He isn't here, Angel. You had a terrible dream, but he isn't here. I promise. You're safe. I will never let him hurt you again."

His warm hand against her face slowly calmed her, "He...he said he'd hurt you...he was going to kill me..." Sitting up, she threw herself into his waiting arms, "You're safe. You're safe..."

Holding her tightly to himself, Andrew felt the now familiar anger stir up in heart at the man who had brought so much pain to her. Even now that Ian was gone from here, hurting Caroline tonight had brought it all back for Monica and he was the reason she was now crying and trembling in his arms, "I'm right here and even more importantly, you are safe, baby. I won't let anything happen to you."

Twice as exhausted now, Monica lay in his arms, allowing his love for her to flow over and through her, enveloping her in pure comfort, "I know that. I do. I'm sorry...it was so real."

"But it wasn't," Andrew pulled away to look into her tired face, "Do you think you can fall back to sleep?" It was nearly four 'o clock in the morning but he wanted her to rest as much as she could as between Caroline and training Grace, the day was bound to be busy for her and she was already upset.

"I'll try," Monica whispered as Andrew wiped at the remaining tears on her cheeks.

He waited until she had laid back into his arms, noting the way she clung a bit tighter to him. Stroking her hair in the manner that always soothed her, he started to talk to her, wanting to fill her mind with only good thoughts that would allow her to sleep, "I think that when this assignment is over, we can ask for a few days off and go to the cabin. Remember, you were talking just a few days ago about wanting to return there? It will be spring then and I know how much you love picking the flowers and walking in the woods and I think it is time for another astronomy lesson, don't you?"

"Yes," He could just make out the peaceful smile on her face as she drifted back off to sleep and he prayed that she would sleep peacefully until morning and that God would help him ease the anger from his heart.


	31. Chapter 30

**CHAPTER 30**

Sad eyes followed a white dove that perched on a white fence outside Safe Haven's guest house. Caroline had been standing by the window for a while as flashbacks of the previous night kept on crossing her mind like an endless nightmare. Sleep deprived, she observed the small animal as it gave a few steps along the porch and flew away a few moments later. It was when she heard a familiar voice coming from behind her.

"Good morning..."

The young woman turned around to see Monica looking back at her with some concern. The veterinarian was already dressed up and if Caroline hadn't been through so much on the previous night she would have noticed the traces of exhaustion on the angel's face.

"Good morning, Monica." She lowered her eyes afterwards, visibly ashamed of her appearance.

"Please, have a seat. Andrew needed to go downtown but he made some pancakes and there is also fresh coffee."

Caroline managed a bittersweet smile as she looked at the table. "Sometimes I doubt you and Andrew really exist."

The angel walked up to her and placed a gentle hand over her shoulder. "Doing nice things to other people is not to be seen as a rare gesture, Caroline." She gently guided the young woman up to a chair and made her seat. It ached to see the bruises on her face as it was not only the proof of an evil man's cruelty but also a reflex of the violence inflicted on Monica herself.

"I'm... I'm sorry for last night. I didn't want to be a bother..." Caroline said, as the angel sat down opposite to her.

"You were never a bother to us."

"I guess I'll never be able to repay what you and Andrew have done for me..."

"You're free from that man's abuse, knowing that is enough to make us happy. But now the question is what you'll tell your parents..."

Her eyes grew wide as she heard those words. "I don't think I would have the courage to tell them... I... I could tell them I suffered an accident or something..."

"Caroline... you know that living on a lie is not an option any longer. As well as you know that this man should not get away from the men's justice so he can do to someone else what he did to you.'

The young woman listened to the angel in silence, aware that what she was telling her was nothing but the truth. But before she could say something, another voice echoed through the kitchen. "Caroline?"

Mr and Mrs Snyder stared at their daughter with perplexed eyes, leaving the young woman with no choice but to open her heart to them.

"Oh, my God! Caroline, what happened to you, dear?" Margaret was quick to rush to her side, while Jonathan remained where he was, fingers clenched in hate as he already knew who was responsible for that.

"I... I think I'd better leave..." Monica spoke, but Caroline stopped her. "No, please... You can stay, Monica. I'm... I don't think I'll be able to do it by myself..."

X

Andrew left the stationary store carrying a small bag with some material that would be useful for his accountant chores. But the main reason for his outing up to the town was a new proposal to the bank. He was glad that they had agreed to postpone the payment of the next debt instalment until a day after the race, when the family would receive the prize for Grace's victory; if the mare won it.

But he did not expect to see that someone had been waiting for him outside the store.

"Monica?"

In a matter of seconds, the blond angel was already standing in front of her, but the concern written in his eyes soon vanished as she managed a slight smile at him. "Hullo, Andrew..."

"Angel... is everything okay?" He wanted to know, placing his hand over her shoulder.

"Oh, yes... I mean, at least things are under control now."

"Did something happen?" He insisted, not yet convinced despite the calm tone in her voice.

Noticing that, Monica took his hand from her shoulder and squeezed it in both of hers. "The Snyder's and Caroline had a long conversation and a doctor was called afterwards. She's now under medication and when I left the farm she was sleeping. As doctor Edwards was coming to town I took a ride with him so I could pass by a farm store and buy some more mint for Grace and then meet you." She quickly explained, hoping to finally put his heart at ease.

"Oh... I understand..." He said, the usual spark that formed in his eyes whenever he met his dearest friend was now back.

And noticing that he relaxed a little, she kept on talking as they started a slow walk. "And I had some help to know where you were!" The way she winked at him was enough to warm his heart and cast away his initial worry. "Plus, Dr Edwards and I had the chance to chat a wee bit on the way to town... Do you know that he has not spoken to his own daughter for two years, Andrew?"

"Really?"

She nodded her head, clearly pleased to give him a report of the latest events. "But something tells me that things between them will be solved soon..."

"Let me guess: Caroline's condition and a little talk with you made him realise that nothing justifies a daughter and father separation..."

Monica gazed up at him with a lovely smile. "I'm afraid you are right, Andrew."

Smiling, he took her hand to his lips. "I could not expect anything different as he gave a ride to an angel - to a special angel of God who manages to touch even the hardest of the hearts!"

Her slight giggling was music to his ears and Andrew lifted a silent prayer of thanks as he noticed that the nightmare of the previous night had been forgotten at least for a while. Monica had a selfless, loving character and perhaps it was exactly why she put aside her fears and sorrow in order to help those in need, like Caroline.

Going downtown was rare for the two angels and beings they had been given that opportunity, Monica asked Andrew to go to the church and say hello to her dear friend and supervisor. The blond angel not only agreed but was glad to see her joy in Monica's eyes when she hugged Tess. Besides this, there was a group of children with special needs visiting the church; they were at the backyard doing some manual work with the volunteers and the little Irish angel soon joined them.

"How is our angel girl doing, baby?" the supervisor wanted to know, she and Andrew observing their dear friend from a certain distance as she interacted with the children.

"Each and every day I'm more amazed at how well she manages to overcome her fears in order to help other people, Tess..." Andrew spoke. His eyes were filled with great admiration and evident love for the little angel who had certainly left an imprint in his heart forever.

"I prayed so much for the Father to make her heal... physically and mentally..." she said, with visible sadness in her eyes at remembering Ian's violent act against Monica. "And I also begged our Father to keep that man away from her."

Andrew's jaw tensed a little at the thought of Ian getting closer to Monica again. "She is recovering. But then, last night, Caroline came back home all beaten up."

The blond angel's words did have an impact on Tess, and her eyes moved from Monica to stare at his green ones. "Oh, dear Father! What are you telling me, Andrew?"

"She met Ian and, encouraged by Monica, finally put an end in their relationship. Let's say he did not take it quite well." The blond angel explained, still not moving his eyes from the Irish angel.

"How is she right now?"

"Under medical care. She came to look for Monica's help last night because she didn't want to let her parents know that Ian beat her. Monica and I did our best to clean up her wounds and I gave her some painkillers."

"And I take it this man's actions trigged some flashbacks..."

"You're right. It wasn't an easy night."

Tess stared at him for a few more seconds, trying to decipher something in his eyes she could not fully understand but which worried her. "Is there something wrong, Andrew?"

"Mr Snyder... He already knew that his daughter had been seeing Ian secretly, and that he had probably beaten her a few times..."

"I understand..."

Andrew finally averted his eyes from Monica and turned to look at the supervisor. "And I'm not quite sure if I was able to tell him the truth he needed to hear once I cannot control my anger towards that man for what he did to Monica..."

"My dear angel boy... You know I'm praying for you too, don't you? You have a mission there with Jonathan and from what I've seen and heard, the love and generosity inside your heart are much greater than your anger. That is why I know you'll find the right words to reach his heart."

He was going to say something else but Monica walked over up to them holding hand with a cute three year old little boy, who had some difficulty to walk as his right leg was longer than his left one. His blond hair and sparkling green eyes quickly reminded her of someone she loved with her heart and soul and it did not take them too long to connect with each other. The image of angel and child together finally soothed Andrew and Tess' hearts.

"Wee Daniel here was telling me that there will be dinosaurs visiting his little friends very soon!" Monica spoke, the smile and joy on her face were soon passed along to her friends as they smiled too.

"Oh, yes, Daniel quite right! They'll be here at any moment!" Tess was quick to say, hoping that the projection room was already set for the children to see an educational video about those charming pre-historic creatures.

"And are you ready to see them, buddy?" Andrew wanted to know, amused at the little boy's enthusiasm, which also resembled his dearest friend's one.

"Yes! I want to keep one for me!" He said, amusing the trio of angels.

"Oh, really? Don't you think they're quite big?" Andrew replied - he too finding so much innocence rather familiar.

"Oh but I'll keep a little one so I can play with it!"

Laughing, the angels remained at that blessed place for a little longer but soon Andrew regretfully informed his sweet mannered friend it was time to come back to the farm. Despite her sadness, she knew he was right and she indeed wanted to return. Caroline would wake up soon and was going to need someone to talk to.

X

"Looks like you managed to conquer some more hearts around here..." Andrew had his arm wrapped around Monica's shoulders as they walked along the line towards the parking lot.

His comment placed a lovely smile on her face as she remembered all those cute little ones she had been able to chat with. "These children are so special, aren't they?"

"They sure are, angel."

"I guess that if we weren't assigned to the farm we would certainly be helping here." She said, the slight breeze was blowing some of Monica's auburn strands against Andrew's face, causing him to enjoy their proximity as well as the time away from the farm.

"That would be a pleasure..." he said, secretly wishing that it was in fact their assignment. "But who knows we still come to work with them?"

Monica looked up at him with curious brown eyes. "Do you think so, Andrew? Did Tess tell you anything about it?"

"No, unfortunately she didn't tell me anything about it, baby." He answered, finding her visible interest rather endearing. With a soft caress in her hair, he kept on talking. "I guess that for a while we have to focus on our current assignment as something tells me that we'll face some crucial moments."


	32. Chapter 31

**CHAPTER 31**

Mr Snyder watched from his porch as the white pickup crossed the farm gate and was parked not far from the stables. On the following moment, Andrew got off the vehicle and walked around it to open the door to Monica. Jonathan did not miss the great love and affection for each other reflected in their eyes as the young veterinarian accepted her friend's proffered hand.

"By this time Rafael might be finishing the series of exercises with Grace." She said, looking up at him with tenderness.

"I'll tell Mr and Mrs Snyder about the deal with the bank. And... I believe you can tell Caroline afterwards."

Monica nodded her head in agreement. "I will."

Andrew bent his head and kissed her temple lovingly. "I'll see you later, angel."

"See you soon, Andrew."

They headed different ways and when the blond angel approached the main house, he saw in Jonathan's eyes the same hurt and anger that he knew still filled his soul.

"Good morning, Jonathan."

"You know, if your heart didn't belong to Monica already, I would lift my prayers to God and ask Him to make you and Caroline fall in love."

Chuckling at the man's words, Andrew shook his head. "I'm sure that your daughter will find someone who will love and respect her the way she deserves."

"I hope so, son."

"I'm coming from the bank with some good news." The blond angel noticed that his words did not have a great impact just by looking at the man's sad face.

"Oh, yes?"

"They agreed to postpone the payment date of the next debt instalment until the day after the race."

Jonathan nodded his head. "Good. Caroline will be happy to know about it, I'm sure."

"How is she?" Andrew dared to ask, aware that his question would bring out all of Jonathan's sadness.

"She's... trying to get back to her old self. But it'll take time, I'm afraid. It's not like Monica's recovery. She was not seeing that man, she was not involved with him in any aspect so there wasn't any great disappointment to erase from her heart. Plus, your angel girl had all your support and affection in the process. Caroline... She's..."

"She's a God's child, Jonathan. She as a Heavenly Father who is looking after her just as her earthly father is and believe me, she's in His hands right now."

"Thanks for your words, Andrew. They mean a lot. And I also hope that God in his infinite wisdom takes away this wish for revenge that I'm feeling inside. If that man crosses my path again... I don't know what I'm capable of..."

"Jonathan..." the blond angel tried to speak but his interlocutor stopped him.

"I know what you're gonna tell me and I do firmly believe you're right. But then... I'm just a human being, just like you. And I'm having a human reaction to what Ian did to someone I love so much."

He walked away, leaving a very worried Andrew behind.

X

Caroline's eyes followed the mountains outline at a distance. It was still too early on that Sunday morning, though, and she could do it from any window without being bothered Those giant formations looked so small and so far away that one would think they were not real, but merely a photograph placed there in order to distract people's minds so that they could regain the ability to dream. When she was a child, Caroline used to do it frequently – picturing herself on the top of Prince, her favourite horse, and reaching that impossible spot..

"The outside looks incredibly challenging and tempting at the same time when we've been confined here for so long, doesn't it?"

Monica's voice took the young woman out of her reverie and made her turn around to face the angel who stood by the door. The marks on her face were starting to fade but they were too visible to let anyone forget about the violence that Ian had inflicted on her.

"Childhood memories, I'm afraid."

"It's believed that this is the time when human beings keep their dreams alive and possible... As they grow, people tend to put those dreams aside in the name of wrong life choices."

Caroline smiled, looking at the veterinarian with curiosity. "You speak as if you were not human... And in some aspects, you don't seem one. Your heart is much too noble."

Monica walked up to her and placed a gentle hand over her shoulder. "Would you care for a walk? It's still too early and everyone is asleep, including Mr and Mrs Snyder. And I'm sure Grace will love her mother's presence."

Moments later, the two started a pleasant walk up to the stables. Caroline gave each step as if it was the first in a long time and came to the conclusion that Ian's evil influence on her had pushed her away from her origins, from her true self.

"It might have been a lovely childhood." The angel spoke, aware that her assignment was lost in her thoughts.

"It was. And I guess now more than ever I am afraid of losing this land. It's my reference and my family's."

"Andrew once told me that sometimes, it's not difficult to know what the best thing to do is. What is difficult is having the courage to do it. You had the courage to do many things in your life, including getting free from a man who only caused you suffering and pain."

"And I'm putting a lot of effort not to hate myself for allowing this to happen."

Monica stopped their walk and looked at her. "Your healing starts when you forgive yourself, Caroline. Only then you'll let your heart open to receive the love and support from your family and friends."

Tears formed in her eyes as she head Monica's words. "Thank you..."

They reached the stables moments later and after taking a long look at each of the horses, Caroline headed to Grace's stall. The way she greeted the beautiful mare was moving and truth to be told a more sensitive heart like Monica's would also detect great affection in the animal's eyes. The Irish angel opened a small gate and let Grace get free from the stall, so that Caroline could have more contact with the horse.

"I know that Rafael won't be around here for a while, you see. And Andrew will probably stay in the guest house reading the newspaper and when he is over he will chat with Mr Snyder and probably Mrs Snyder will so here is a great opportunity for a ride."

Caroline did not think too much about the angel's suggestion – on the following moments, she was already on top of Grace, riding along the vast lands of the farm where she'd grown up and feeling back the sensation of freedom that had long been taken from her. Monica watched with contentment her assignment's hopeful expression and offered a silent prayer for Caroline, and she knew that the young woman was in good hands.


	33. Chapter 32

**CHAPTER 32**

"...I don't have much chance to cook, you know, Mrs Snyder. But I've always been a great admirer of this lovely chore."

Monica watched with attention as Margaret prepared oatmeal cookies, Caroline's favourite. The ride along the fields had lasted more than the young lady's expected but when she was back she kissed both her parents and headed to her bedroom. Monica knew better than anyone that she would take a warm shower and spend the rest of the day in there. One day at a time.

"Oh, well, you can give me some help if you want to, dear."

Monica's eyes shone like a child's. "Do you really think so?"

"Yes. After all, oatmeal cookies aren't that difficult to prepare." The woman said, picking up a pot containing flour and handling it to her interlocutor. "Here, you can spread it all over the mixture, so it doesn't make your fingers sticky."

Nodding with great attention, she gladly accepted the task. "It's always nice to have the opportunity to expand my knowledge."

"Monica?"

Andrew's voice caused her to avert her eyes from the cookies mixture and clumsily shed some flour on the table. "Oh, hello, Andrew."

Eyebrows raised, the blond angel approached her with a sceptical expression in his eyes. "May I ask..."

"We are making oatmeal cookies. I'm helping Margaret!" She happily informed, and Andrew did not miss both the amusement on the woman's face and also the enthusiasm in his dearest friend's eyes.

"Oh, I see..."

"But I know I'm not very good at it. Andrew is the one who is very talented for cooking." She revealed, shooting the blond angel a look of admiration."

"Yes, I've already noticed that your friend here has the ability to prepare a great breakfast!"

Andrew watched Monica's lack of ability in sprinkling flour over the cookies mixture and tried to find the right words in order to dissuade her from that chore. He knew quite well that if he didn't do something soon, Mrs Snyder's cookies would be ruined. Plus, he already had other plans when he entered the kitchen.

"I see you're quite entertained in your task, huh?" He started, surveying her work so far. The way she turned her head up and gazed at him was particularly endearing.

"You know it's not often that I have the chance to cook or help in the kitchen."

"Y-yes, that is a fact..." He spoke, carefully measuring his words. Margaret watched the interaction between the couple with amusement and she was quick to notice the slight urgency in the blond angel's eyes.

"Something tells me that Andrew here has something to say... Or to ask!"

Smiling, he nodded his hand, thankful that she started the subject. And Mrs Snyder's remark called Monica's attention, making her turn to look at her dear friend again, now with a questioning expression. "What is it, Andrew?"

"Well, I was thinking that perhaps you'd like to go for a walk in the fields since it's been such a beautiful day."

Monica's broad smile was enough to let him know that his invitation had been gladly accepted.

"Oh, what a lovely thought, Andrew!" She quickly exclaimed, leaving him equally happy. But on the following second, her eyebrows knitted together in an adorable mix of doubt and worry. "But... I was helping Mrs Snyder and-"

"Oh, don't you worry about it, dear!" The old lady was quick to intervene. "Ii can finish it by myself! And after all there's very little to do now."

With a shy smile, the little angel finally agreed. "Well... then I own you some help in the future, Margaret."

"That's alright, dear. But now go you two and enjoy the afternoon! It's really a lovely day for a walk up to the lake! Andrew couldn't have a better idea and you two... you make a very beautiful couple!"

Monica smiled, slightly blushed, finding it funny that people often confused them with a real couple. And she also observed as her dear friend didn't have the same amused look in his eyes. Much on the contrary: he was trying to hide a hint of sadness that suddenly became visible to more trained eyes like hers.


	34. Chapter 33

**CHAPTER 33**

Shades of gold and green mixed along the vast land and framed the path up to the lake where now both angles strolled in silence, taking their time to admire their Father's wonderful creations; Monica had her arms wrapped around his right one and her usual chatter gave place to her contemplation of their surroundings as well as her pondering about her friend's inner worries. It had been like that since they had started their walk and only when they were far from the main house, past the stables, did they break the silence.

"I can sense there's been more progress with Caroline." He started, and Monica gave a bittersweet smile – Andrew was always attentive to what she had been doing and feeling, even though Andrew himself had difficult issues to deal with.

"You are right. It's possible to see traces of recovery in her eyes each every day. I also feel that soon she will know that she's been visited by angels."

Even without looking at her directly, Andrew noticed how his dear friend's eyes scanned his face, searching for an answer to the obvious sadness that could be seen written in his green pools.

But the blond angel smiled and squeezed her hand. "I had no doubt you'd end up reaching her heart and delivering the message she needed to hear, angel."

"I would not be standing here if you had not reached my heart and delivered a loving message as well, Andrew. Having you as my angel made all the difference in my healing process so I could help someone in need. And now I wonder if I will be able to do the same for you."

Those words surprised him a little and when his eyes turned away from the ground to meet hers, he realised that she could actually see beyond his human form; Monica could see his soul.

With tenderness, he guided her up to a fallen tree trunk that was used as a bench. They were now by the lake banks and its placid waters conveyed a sensation of peace and harmony that contrasted with what was inside his angelic heart right now.

They were seated side by side and gazing at the still waters. Monica waited until her dearest friend spoke again and in the end he finally did.

"Jonathan... We've talked about what happened to Caroline a few days ago and I thought I had managed to find the right words to reassure him but now... Now I'm not so sure, angel."

"What happened?"

"I spoke to him when we came back from town. He wants revenge, even though I know he's fighting against this feeling."

"There has been so much angst spread in this place... Andrew... I'm so sorry."

"And what worries me the most is the fact that I cannot blame him..." He looked at her with bitterness in his eyes. "How could I, Monica? How can an angel act like that?"

"The fact that you and I are angels does not mean we are perfect."

"No, but the consequences of those imperfections can ruin a human being's life if we're not attentive enough not to let ourselves be taken by our feelings..." He said, "And in the end, that is exactly what differs us from humans, our ability to love in spite of everything."

She let out a soft sigh and gently lay a hand against his face. "I know how angry you are and I know how terribly much this anger makes you guilty. But it has a reason and you should never belittle your feelings regarding Ian's attitude. I know perhaps better than any other angel that your intentions are noble and I trust them with my very soul. Nothing wrong can come out of your heart."

He turned his eyes back to the lake, perhaps avoiding the great amount of trust he could see in the soft expression on her face. "Sometimes I worry about that much great expectation you hold towards me, angel. I might disappoint you."

The Irish angel calmly wrapped both arms around his once again and rested her head against his shoulder. "There is possibly nothing you could do unto me that could jeopardise the great love and respect that I feel for you, Andrew." She simply stated with resignation, as if the opposite of what she had just said would never become a reality.

Andrew gently let go of her arms just to wrap his own arm around her shoulders. Then, he kissed the top of her head and closed his eyes for a moment, taking to his heart each of those loving words.

Her sweet voice and lovely accent reached his ears a second later, making him to open his eyes and reflect about her next thoughts. "Do not forget that the Father has the power to turn something terrible into a breath of hope. You have been in Jonathan's shoes and you are always honest with yourself. That's why I know you will be honest with your assignment and manage to touch this man's heart."

The blond angel let out a soft sigh and lowered his head so he could look at her face. Sensing that, Monica lifted her eyes to meet his green ones; meek Gaelic features that reflected just a part of the beauty of her soul and would be etched in his mind for the centuries to come. "I wish I could find the right words to tell you how much meaning you bring to my existence, angel. You are my best reminder of God's love and generosity."

Her simple smile had the ability to bring back the hope and reassurance he had been seeking for. And the way she spoke on the following second finally placed a smile on his face itself.

"I should say you hold too much expectation about myself. After all, I was jealous when we first met. And so far I have not learned how to throw pebbles on the lake waters..."

Nodding his head, he cupped her cheek with one hand and kissed her forehead. "You are precious, Monica."


	35. Chapter 34

**CHAPTER 34**

Time seemed to gain another dimension in all the moments that Monica and Andrew spent together. For a while, that little spot surrounded by nature and hidden in the boarders of the Snyder's property indeed became their safe haven. Monica's usual chatter seemed to soothe Andrew's heart and made him more aware of his angelic nature and of what it consisted – conveying a message of love and hope to God's children. Monica saw the world through a child's eyes; her comments about the animals in the farm, the flowers that she had seen along their way, the lake still waters and how she felt a lot more comfortable with both of her feet on the ground rather than inside a boat amused Andrew and made him put aside his worries, at least for a while.

A couple of hours after they had arrived there, the only thing that became a slight threat to their Sunday afternoon escapade were the heavy clouds that started to cover the horizon, announcing that perhaps they would have a dusk filled with rain.

"Not a while ago my knees were a wee bit shaky whenever I stood before such a great mass of water like this one, you know, Andrew." She spoke, her attention turned to the placid waters where she threw one more pebble. With slight annoyance, Monica watched as the small stone sank in just a few feet from where she was standing, leaving Andrew to hide his chuckling as she looked completely adorable to him. "I might have made some progress regarding the water proximity. But it seems it will take me a little more to get the hang of it, you see..."

"It takes a little, angel, especially because you don't get the free time to practice it." He said, softly rubbing her shoulder. "It's... just like your cooking. Lack of available time to improve your abilities."

"I believe you might be right, Andrew..." The little angel threw another pebble and, like the others, it failed to bounce over the waters like she wanted. "And on second thoughts, I'm not in a rush to learn these things, you see. I like the teacher's company!"

Smiling, he inched closer and kissed her temple lovingly. "The 'teacher' is learning many things from you, angel. And he will always be at hand whenever you need him." He said, removing a few strands of hair from her face; they had fallen off her ponytail during their walk and her unkempt auburn hair left more evident her perfect traces. After a few seconds of secret contemplation, Andrew spoke again, now with a more serious tone in his voice. "But now I guess we should leave, angel. See, the weather is changing fast and it's almost an hour walk back to the guest house."

Nodding her head, she let him wrap his arm around her shoulders and guide her away from the lake banks. It had been a quiet and peaceful outing and she knew that somehow her words had managed to bring some comfort to his disturbed heart. The little angel lifted a silent prayer of thanks and also asked their loving Father to show him the best way to reach Jonathan's heart.

Their pace, however, was not as fast as the summer storm that hit the region in full force only ten minutes after they started their walk back to their temporary home. Andrew held her hand in order to encourage her but Monica's short legs and small human form did not allow her to run as fast as he could. Besides, even if she could, they would not be able to reach the Snyder's property so soon and they needed to – the woods were not a safe place when there were lightning and thunders crossing the dark skies.

But they had been there before and fortunately Andrew's sense of direction and his care to investigate the area around them when the two angels arrived at the farm were crucial at that moment. All of a sudden, Monica felt a gentle tug in her hand and realised that he was pulling her to another direction.

"Come this way, angel. We need to find a place to stay until the storm is over."

She did not understand or questioned him – Monica knew that she was in good hands and that whatever was on Andrew's mind, it would certainly lead them into a safe direction. It had always been like that.

A couple of minutes were enough for her to see that old hunter's hut hidden among the vegetation and the blond angel was quick to pull its door open and motioned for her to enter first. Then, he shut the door behind them and both heaved a sigh of relief for at least now they were safe from the electrical storm.

"We can stay here until the storm is over, baby." He said, placing a gentle hand over her shoulder and another one against her cheek, not missing her irregular breath and slight trembling.

Monica nodded her head, somewhat apologetically for her being scared. "I-I know..."

He could tell she was trying to be strong as his sweet friend never liked storms. A loud thunder, however, caused her to give up her momentary braveness and, with only a short step, she wrapped her arms around his waist. Andrew wasted no time in holding her tightly, somewhat moved at her childlike distress because of the forces of the nature.

"I'm sorry..."

"It's okay, angel, electrical storms are scary and dangerous." He said, and held her for another couple of minutes, patiently waiting until her trembling subsided. Meanwhile, his green eyes scanned their surroundings, making sure that they really were in a safe place. He rubbed her back and kissed the top of her head before speaking again. "I'll try to light up the fireplace. If the storm and the rain continue, it might get a little chilly."

"You are perfectly right..." She nodded her head, reluctantly letting go of his embrace, and watched as he worked to make the small shelter inhabitable for both of them.

Made of wooden logs, with only a room and an adjoining bathroom, it seemed deactivated, even though its interior was clean and tidied. There were not many things around – just a small cot and a small closet, where Andrew found box of matches, a lantern and a blanket. And most importantly, there was a fireplace and the blond angel was quick to put some logs that had been left in a corner inside it and made a small fire.

"I hope things are better now!" He said, with a smile, and was glad to see another shy smile appear on her pretty face. Andrew took the blanket from the closet and, sitting next to her on the wooden floor, he placed it over her shoulders, bringing her closer to him in a loving embrace.

"We should have come back earlier. It was my fault, I'm sorry, angel." His expression was more serious now, as he would never forgive himself if something bad happened to his dear friend.

But Monica frowned with slight concern at his frustration. "Oh, no. There was no way we could have guessed it, Andrew."

He let out an impatient sigh and looked through the window; it was pelting down outside. "Well, looks like we'll be trapped there for at least the next hour anyway."

"And fortunately. What would be of me if you were not around? I would probably be on an outing with Grace or Brady and... Well, Grace would not fit in here and I don't even believe I would have managed to find 'here' in the first place..."

She was serious, but he could not help the small laughter that came out of his lips at her conclusions, and it also made her smile in the end.


	36. Chapter 35

**CHAPTER 35**

A long hour passed since the angels found that small shack to hide from the storm that hit the region at the end of the afternoon. Sitting on the wooden floor, they waited patiently until the deafening thunders and scary lighting subsided as the fire kept them warm. Andrew had thrown a blanket over Monica's shoulders and held her close, while she covered her ears and leaned against him, praying for those who were out in the streets of the town or even in the countryside like them. In her selfless heart, she hoped that these people too had found a place to stay until the storm was over.

The soothing movement of Andrew's fingers through her hair and his loving words trying to divert her attention from the slightly scary sounds coming from outside managed to put her heart at ease during the latest hour. But as soon as the storm started to move away, leaving only the heavy rain behind, the Irish angel's chatty mood began to come out once again and little by little, she was back to her true self.

Grateful for that, Andrew gently, and a bit reluctantly, disentangled from her embrace to revolve the wooden logs in the fireplace, so that it could keep them warm for a little longer. Monica took the chance to stand on her feet and look through the window, checking if there were any damages to the area around them.

"Even though I know it's mother nature's will, I'm glad the thunders are far away now." She sad, standing by the window, absent-mindedly making drawings on the foggy glass with her fingertip. Andrew finished his chore by the fireplace and joined her instants later.

"Yes, that's true. But we should wait a little longer until the rain stops." He looked through the wet window glass, surveying the area outside, and elected it was not time to leave the small shack yet.

"I wonder if Mr and Mrs Snyder will worry about us. We've been out here for hours..." Monica had a slight frown of concern for the elderly couple who treated her like a real daughter.

Chuckling, the blond angel shook his head. "I don't think they will, angel. You see, Mrs Snyder knows we're together and is probably imagining that we found a shelter to stay until the rain is over."

"I hope so. I would feel guilty if I caused her more worry."

"Don't. If you ask me I guess she might be telling Jonathan that I'm proposing you!"

Her soft giggling was music to his ears and he watched with eyes full of love as the glow coming from the fireplace illuminated her auburn strands, which she left loosen so they could dry. She was so radiant that it seemed she had regained her angelic form. Andrew suddenly saw himself hypnotised by her beauty; meek Gaelic features so perfectly drawn that one could only think that she had come out of a dream. Her cheeks were slightly blushed and there was a permanent spark in her sweet doe-like eyes that perhaps reflected the entireness of her soul.

"It would be 'I do'."

Her sudden words took him out of his contemplative mode and for a moment he was confused about what they meant. Monica turned her eyes away from her abstract drawings to look at him; her lips curved in a lovely smile. She saw his questioning expression and realised she had not been very clear. "Your proposal. I would accept it."

He was speechless for a moment, and the smile on his handsome face slowly faded away to be replaced by an expression of tenderness. The blond angel raised his hand and touched her cheek, his fingertip tracing a line along her jaw, caressing her porcelain skin as if it was something precious and rare.

And that is what Monica was to him – an angel like no other heavenly creature; made from a God's whisper to bring joy to those who were blessed enough to have her in their way, and Andrew himself was included among those.

He tugged a strand of hair behind her ear and cupped her cheek with tenderness. "That would be the greatest honour of my entire existence, baby..." The blond angel did not manage to take his eyes from her brown ones as it seemed he was looking at her soul.

She leaned against his touch, still smiling and lost in the evident love she could see written on his face, in his green pools that gazed at her with so much affection. "And of mine... My heart is always so full of love at your presence... Sometimes, in my selfish thoughts, I even wonder if the Father made our paths cross so that I could learn what it is like to experience these noble feelings that are etched in my heart..." She stated, and it was possible to see a hint of surprise in her eyes, as if Monica herself had not realised the weight of those words until that moment, as if she had just found out that her feelings for the one angel who was standing before her were much greater than what she herself knew.

He let out a slight chuckle at hearing those words. "Selfish thoughts" sounded the most absurd thing to imagine when it came about Monica, as she was certainly the most loving creature he had ever met. "Angel... it is me who learned the most important lesson of my existence." He inched his face closer to hers and reached for her hand. "You, baby, are the best reminder of God's love and my world would become empty if someday we had to go separate ways."

Noticing her slight flinch, he took her hand to his lips and kept on talking. "Not that I would allow it to happen... I love you too much to accept existence without you."

Moved, Andrew watched as a single tear fell from her eye and made its way down her cheek. There were no words spoken now, but he could clearly read the message in her soulful eyes, always so filled with trust and deep love. There was no warning either, for the two angels in human form suddenly realised that a strange yet familiar feeling had suddenly come out to the surface even though it had lain dormant in their souls for years.

Their faces were just a few inches from each other and that distance was slowly broken to be replaced by the sweetest caress that they had ever shared. Their lips met at the same time their eyes closed as now everything that mattered was the communion of loving emotions that burst through their hearts. Andrew let go of her hand and tenderly lay both hands on each side of her face; gentle thumbs caressing her temples as he kissed her lips more firmly and yet even so gently that she felt herself lost in his touch and in those loving feelings that were now taking over her spirit.

To her, it seemed that there was no other option other than accepting that sweet kiss and responding to it with the same intensity and tenderness. Frozen in time, both angels temporarily in human forms saw their truest feelings revealed to them in the most natural and easiest way.


	37. Chapter 36

**CHAPTER 36**

That precious moment lasted for a small eternity to both Monica and Andrew. The tender and unexpected kiss filled their hearts with a totally new sensation of peace and completion, as if they had existed only for that split second, when their souls experienced a reunion like never before. Andrew's fingertips caressed her porcelain skin with his usual delicacy and affection while she laid the palm of her trembling hands against his chest and ran them up to his shoulders. Monica felt her human form giving in to his embrace when her dearest friend wrapped his arm around her waist, gently bringing her closer to him, never breaking the sweet contact between them.

Only instants later did their lips part; slowly, as both angels turned into humans were still in awe for what had just happened. Monica's doe-like eyes slowly opened and searched for his green ones, and she knew that their new-found feelings had surprised both of them. Andrew's expression was a serious nevertheless soft one, as he too was coming to terms that something had just changed – or perhaps revealed to them on that very moment.

"Angel... I just love you so much..." He spoke, his voice was hoarse with emotion as he rubbed his thumb against her cheek. The blond angel did not miss the turmoil of emotions written in her eyes.

"What just happened... I..."

"Please, forgive me..." He was quick to say, fearing her reaction.

She shook her head as a silent tear made its way down her face. "Why are you asking for my forgiveness, Andrew?"

"Because I crossed a line without asking for your consent, angel..."

The teary tone in her voice was heart-breaking. "But I crossed the same line, don't you see? I think that there is nothing to forgive..." Monica seemed to search for an answer in an invisible point ahead of her. "Is that possible that I am feeling what I am feeling, Andrew?"

"What is your heart telling you, Monica?" He dared to ask, words quickly escaping from his mouth before he could even reflect upon them.

The great fear and regret regarding that question were soon shattered when the Irish angel confronted him with the absolute truth. "That I love you... that I did not know how much... and that this love is... much greater than me, that it cannot be fought against..."

He closed his eyes for a moment, taking to his heart the words that he had just heard from her lips; rejoicing upon them despite the many doubts and questionings that would be up against them from that day on.

But her crying voice brought his worries back and he was staring at her once again, aware of her fears and doubts. "I... I don't know what to say..."

Quickly pressing his index finger against her lips – the sweet rosy lips he had just kissed, Andrew tried to comfort her. "Please, don't say a word, angel..." He waited until she was quiet again, somewhat waiting for his guidance. "I cannot explain the reasons that took us to this very moment, baby, but if there is something I am totally sure of is that I would give up my whole eternity for it..."

His heart broke when he saw her tears and Andrew could not help the impulse to kiss her forehead and hold her tightly against him and was glad when she wrapped her arms around his waist, returning his loving embrace.

Instants later, though, she was speaking again, and the words that came from her mouth were hard to listen.

"I can't..."

She suddenly pulled away from his arms, causing him to feel a terrible sensation of emptiness and loss.

"Monica... Angel..."

"I can't, Andrew... I'm so sorry..."

She backened away from him and searched for the door.

"Monica!"

"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..."

She turned her back at him and left the small shack in a hurry, not minding the rain that was still falling outside. The storm was over by now and they were not too far from the guest house. Andrew came after, calling out her name in an attempt to make her stop and come back to their temporary shelter; in an attempt to bring her back so they could reflect upon what had just happened.

But he soon gave it up – the little Irish angel who had definitely stole his heart was running away from the turmoil of emotions that was now consuming her spirit. He could perfectly understand it as they were tearing up his soul as well.

What Andrew had to admit, though, was that he would never give up what he felt at the moment his lips met with Monica's.


	38. Chapter 37

**CHAPTER 37**

Monica didn't stop running until she had burst in the door of the guest house and even then, her pace didn't much slow until she was in her room with the door closed firmly behind her. The storm had given way to a steady rain and when she arrived in her room, she was dripping and trying to catch her breath from both the running and the tears.

Standing by her bedroom window, which was splattered with raindrops, the little angel lowered her face into her hands and gave way to hard sobs. The tingle from Andrew's kiss could still be felt on her lips but she struggled not to linger on that thought, as dwelling on any romantic notions surely would make her as stupid as Ian had always said she was.

Everything about this assignment had ended up wrong; Ian and now these wonderful, terrible things she was feeling about her dearest friend and those feelings she was certain were going to cause God to snatch her up at any second and then she would never see Andrew again.

When had these feelings happened? Though they had only just surfaced, Monica was sure that they had been hidden in her heart somewhere for a long time; they had felt as natural as breathing...

But they were wrong! Angels were not created to feel such things for each other!

"Oh Father, I am so sorry...so sorry. Please forgive me and please...help me to know what to do with how I feel."

The sobs stopped her whispered prayer and the little angel lost herself to the tears for several long moments until a sensation caused her head to jerk up as she looked almost fearfully at the door.

And though she could not see him, Andrew stood on the other side of her bedroom door, his hand resting against the wood and a storm raging in his green eyes. He had heard her sobs and was anguished that he was the cause and despite how desperately he wanted to walk into the room and pull her to himself, Andrew instead lowered both his hand and his head and walked into his room.

X

After a hot shower, the Angel of Death felt too lost and confused to stay in his room any longer. He was certain Monica was not yet ready to talk and though he positively hated how deeply she was hurting, he didn't want to make things worse. Years of being her closest friend had taught him many things and one of those things was that when Monica was ready to talk, only then would it happen. Generally, it didn't take the little angel too long but this was certainly a far more difficult situation than an assignment. This was uncharted territory for both of them.

If he couldn't go to Monica, he would simply go to her current favourite place, which were the stables. The sound of the soft nickers and snuffles that greeted him were somehow comforting and the Angel of Death made it a point to stop to stroke each one of the horses as if assuring them that their dear friend would soon return to see to their well being.

"Ya era hora," The sound of the Spanish tongued angel pulled Andrew from his thoughts, "I was getting worried. You and Monica were gone a long time and that storm was bad."

"We waited it out in the cabin. You know the one." Andrew replied, not looking up from where he was stroking Joy.

Rafael observed his friend in silence for a moment. Since Monica's recovery from Ian's abuse, the Angel of Death had been much more relaxed and his warm grin had come much more easily. But things suddenly seemed different now. Rafael was an extremely observant angel, especially when it came to matters of the heart, and it was obvious his friend's heart was currently suffering.

"Sucedió algo" He remarked softly, eyeing Andrew with concern, "Something is not right. Where is your angelita?"

Andrew hated how transparent he apparently was and he also knew at the mention of the little angel, that pain registered on his face, "She's in her room."

Rafael's eyes narrowed. He could tell Andrew was trying to skirt around the truth and to the Hispanic angel, it seemed that there had been enough of that lately, "Did you two have a disagreement?"

"Not exactly," Andrew slumped down onto one of the benches in the barn and leaned his head back against the wood. Closing his eyes, he breathed in the musty smell of the barn, hay and the horses, the aroma somewhat soothing. He wanted to tell Rafael what had transpired between himself and Monica but yet he could not imagine what his friend would think. Andrew wasn't even sure of what he thought about all of it.

Sitting down next to his friend, Rafael turned slightly to face him, "Mi Amigo, what happened between you two? Whatever it was is troubling you greatly, that much I can see. You know I would never judge you, Andrew and it seems to me that you need to speak with someone."

"I kissed her," He never opened his eyes as he spoke the words that caused all of the emotions of those moments to come flying back to the surface. He was sure it had been the sweetest moment of his existence thus far, "I love her in a way I never thought I could or should...and she felt the same way. At least I think so, but then..."

"She got scared," He guessed. Monica generally wore her heart on her sleeve so it was not too hard to imagine how she must be feeling right now, "She's confused, Andrew."

Now his eyes were open and he stared at Rafael in near disbelief, "You somehow don't seem surprised by this. I just told you that Monica and I kissed. We're angels, just like you. You are talking as if this happens every day."

Rafael emitted a small chuckle, "No. Not at all. I don't believe it has ever happened before but in all my centuries of existence, I have never known two angels as close as the two of you are either. I suppose that is why it is not that surprising."

"What do you think the Father is thinking about it?" The blonde angel raised an eyebrow in question.

This question Rafael considered carefully for a moment before speaking, "You could ask Him yourself, but I have to wonder that if your heart has turned to Monica's and hers to yours, if it isn't somehow part of a greater plan. You know as well as I that there are no coincidences with God, Andrew." He watched as Andrew leaned his head back once more and closed his tired eyes, "Give her time, amigo. She has just been through something terrible and her confidence has been shaken and now this new and wonderful thing has happened but in light of recent events, it has frightened her. Once she has time to think about it, she will realize that what happened is nothing less than something precious," Rising to his feet, he laid a reassuring hand on Andrew's shoulder, "tiempo. That's all she needs. Just a little time."

As his friend walked away, Andrew left out a long sigh. He hoped Rafael was right. He wasn't sure how much time he could bear to give her. He missed her already.


	39. Chapter 38

**CHAPTER 38**

Monica awoke with the morning's light but she felt anything but rested. She had cried herself to sleep quite late and then had awoken every hour or so, longing to go to Andrew's room to seek his wisdom and comfort, but when he was suddenly part of the problem, she had no idea of how to speak to him about it.

Showering and dressing, she slipped soundlessly into the hallway and crept to the door. Once outside in the fresh morning air, the little angel hurried down to the stables. Despite her exhaustion, she had work to do and it was safe to say she would not be at breakfast. She had no appetite and she didn't feel ready to face Andrew or any questions.

Yet her heart ached for him. The loneliness she felt at avoiding him was almost physically painful and it was all she could think about as she spent the entire morning working with Grace. The thoroughbred seemed more than ready for the upcoming race though that did little for Monica's nervousness over being her jockey. On top of everything else that had transpired over the last few weeks, she felt as if the weight of the farm itself was on her shoulders. Winning meant saving the farm and that decision in many ways, was hers. If she sensed Grace's injury resurfacing, she would not push the horse to finish, yet alone win. But not winning would surely disappoint the family.

Now with this thing with Andrew, the little angel was completely overwhelmed and she had no idea what to do or who to talk to. It was all she could do to keep from crying again so great was her loneliness for her best friend.

Holding the tears at bay, Monica groomed Grace and then began the slow walk up to the main house. Lunch would be over and maybe she could talk to Andrew now. The kitchen was empty and she crept up to his office and raised her hand to knock, but she stopped herself.

She had no idea of what to say. They had kissed and no matter how wonderful it had been at the time, it was wrong. What if things between them were never right again? What if God separated them forever so they would never again be tempted to explore feelings they were not meant to have?

Slowly, her small hand fell from the door and with tears burning her dark eyes, Monica turned and walked away.

An hour later, Monica found herself sitting in a pew at the little church, her heart aching every bit as much but at least she felt as if she had put a wee bit of space between herself and Andrew...no matter how much she didn't want any space between them at all.

"Baby?"

As Monica turned to face her, Tess instantly knew that her young charge was deeply upset. Her eyes shone with pain and exhaustion and the older angel had to wonder if Monica was still feeling the effects of Ian's abuse.

Sliding in next to her, Tess wrapped her arm around the little angel's shoulders and felt Monica lean into her instantly, "What is it, Angel Girl? You know you can talk to me."

There was no way Monica could tell her everything. What had happened between she and Andrew she simply could not speak of. She could not bear Tess' possible judgment and disappointment.

A little shoulder shrug and then "This assignment has justbeen so difficult, Tess," She murmured wearily, "It's been long and hard and I just don't always feel as if I know what I'm doing."

Tess frowned. Monica was generally very optimistic, even in the face of difficult days. These words were out of character for her, "Now baby, you know that isn't true. God placed his very special Irish angel on this very assignment because he knew you were the best angel for the job. Besides, you know that if you follow that heart the Father gave you, you will never go wrong."

She bit her lower lip for a moment, "Do you really think that is true, Tess? That if I listen to my heart, I will never go wrong?"

"Of course it is true, Monica," The older angel admonished, "The heart never lies anymore than the Father or I do and if I am telling you to listen to it, then you need to listen to it. It will never steer you wrong. So whatever you are thinking, you need to stop thinking it and start listening to the things that matter."

Pulling away, the little angel blinked, wondering if Tess had any idea what she was telling her, "What if it is wrong though, Tess? Can't the heart tell you things you want to believe but that might not be true or right?"

Her eyebrows narrowed in confusion and then sternness, "Angel Girl, your heart is so pure that there isn't any possible way it could tell you anything but the truth. And if you are still unsure, you need to ask the Father about it. He will never steer you wrong. Not that I would, but you seem to be having some trouble trusting what I'm saying right now."

Monica's eyes widened, "Oh no, Tess! That isn't it at all. I've just been feeling a wee bit confused lately and I so want to do things right but I've just been questioning myself. Not you."

"I think that is understandable given what you went through with that man," Tess replied tightly. She had never met Ian and for his sake, she hoped she never did. Though Tess had been an angel for centuries, she was not above reading the riot act to anyone who dared to hurt her precious charge.

"How are the wee children, Tess?" She was suddenly desperate to change the subject.

"They are doing fairly well, baby. They just need more recreational outlets and the town offers so little for them."

"I know," Monica nodded her head, feeling a tiny surge of hope, "I have been thinking about that a lot lately and I am praying for something that hopefully the Father will be able to answer soon."

"I'm sure he will, Angel Girl but right now, I have to get back to those babies," Rising to her feet, the supervisor locked Monica with a protective gaze, "Are you all right?"

A small sigh and she managed a tiny smile, "I will be soon, I think. I love you, Tess."

Visibly moved but one of Monica's usual displays of affection, the older angel replied with a tiny catch in her voice, "I love you too, baby."


	40. Chapter 39

**CHAPTER 39**

Andrew would never have thought that twenty-four hours could feel like twenty-four years, but as he stood out on the back porch of the guest house, he felt as if it had been years since his eyes had last met Monica's and the void in his heart was painful.

No matter how wonderful the moment had been when his lips had met hers, he would take it all back if it would allow the little angel to feel comfortable in his presence again. He knew that she had felt all the same things he did, and though the new love he felt for her confused him somewhat, Andrew also knew that it frightened her. Monica had such a gentle and true heart; the things she knew for certain were so important to her and when something made her question what she believed to be right or wrong, it could shake her to the core. He was certain that is what happened last night and he had no idea how to make it better for her...for them.

There was no sound, but the Angel of Death sensed her presence immediately; there was no mistaking Monica's essence.

Turning around slowly, he met his eyes with hers, drinking in her simple beauty and feeling great anguish at the tears in her doe like eyes. A million apologies were on his lips, but before Andrew could utter even one, she was speaking.

"I don't know what the answers are," Her Irish lilt trembled with great emotion as a tear trickled down her pale cheek, "But I know that no answer lies with avoiding you. Not seeing you is too painful and I can't bear it!"

Andrew caught her up in his arms as she began to cry, relieved when her arms wrapped around his waist as she buried her face against his chest, "I missed you too," He murmured against the top of her head, "Angel, only when you are in my arms am I complete."

His words elicited another sob from her and she stood up on tiptoe to wrap her arms around his neck and Andrew had never been more grateful. He held her close, one hand around her waist and the other pressed to the back of her head, even as his heart pounded as he wondered what she was thinking. But a moment later, she stopped him from wondering.

Pulling away, her teary eyes looked up into his, "I'm sorry I ran away...I was scared but not of you. The things I was feeling...the things I am feeling...they are so powerful, Andrew and they frighten me..."

"I know, baby," He murmured, reaching out to wipe a tear from her face, "Monica, I'm so sorry.."

"No, don't, Andrew. Please? I was told today to listen to my heart and my heart is telling me that I love you," A tearful smile crossed her lips, "I do, Andrew and though I don't understand it or why it has happened, I cannot deny how I feel."

For a moment he could barely breathe, but he knew she was also looking for reassurance, "My sweet angel, I promise you we will figure this out, but the truth is what matters. I love you too, Monica, with all my heart. You have always been a part of me from the moment we first met and those feeling have grown to something greater than I could have ever imagined...something I cannot imagine sharing with anyone other than you." His fingers caressed her cheek, watching with a tender heart as she closed her eyes and leaned into his touch. Swallowing hard against his nervousness, he whispered softly, "Angel, may I kiss you? I am fairly sure yesterday was one of the most amazing moments of my existence but I would just like to be sure."

Meeting his eyes, the little angel nodded her head as her heart sped up in anticipation. As Andrew's face moved closer to hers, she parted her lips slightly and when their lips met, she felt her knees go weak. If it were not for his strong arm around her waist, she was certain she would no longer be able to stand. His lips were warm and soft and Monica was sure she wanted to stay in this moment forever.

When he finally pulled back, it was only to a hair's breadth, "I was wrong," He whispered, as he traced his thumb over her lower lip, "Yesterday was not the most amazing moment. That was."

A tiny smile crossed her lips and Andrew could not help but to kiss her forehead as he cupped her face in his hands, "You look tired, Angel. Have you eaten at all today?"

"I was too upset to eat," Monica confessed somewhat sheepishly, "So much has been happening during this assignment and everything just seems so unresolved and..."

"Shh." He laid a tender finger against her lips, "First things first and the first thing for you is food. Everything always seems worse when your human form is hungry," Andrew took her hand firmly into his own and led her into the house.

The refrigerator in the guest house was always fully stocked with sandwich supplies and snacks and it didn't take the Angel of Death long to whip her up a grilled cheese sandwich, knowing she was quite fond of them, and a mug of tomato soup for drinking. Despite the fact that it was getting late, he also made her a mocha latte without her even asking and the sweet and eager expression on her lovely face was reward enough. She must have been hungry as she had already eaten half of her sandwich when he sat down at the table across from her with his own.

"It's wonderful. Thank you. You always take such good care of me."

"Angel, it is my most cherished assignment," Andrew assured her watching as a slight blush rose to her cheeks at his words.

They ate in compatible silence for a few minutes before Andrew began speaking again in his most soothing voice, "Want to tell me what you have been thinking about things being unresolved?"

The little angel swirled the remainder of her soup around in the mug with her spoon for a moment, as if trying to collect her thoughts. Her biggest concern right now is what was happening between her and Andrew but she knew he had to have the same conflicted thoughts. There was no rule saying she had to start with the most difficult thing.

"The race, for one," Monica stated softly, finally letting go of the spoon and leaning back in her chair a bit. Looking into his loving green eyes, she saw his encouragement for her to continue, "Grace seems fully recovered but I have to confess that I have not allowed her to run at her full speed yet. I'm afraid to. If she injures herself now, there will be no race. If she injures herself during the race, there may not be a farm and I have to make that determination when the time comes. I don't think I like having so much responsibility for a horse race that I don't have it in my heart to condone. I find them cruel, Andrew. So many horses are critically injured during races every year and often the owners simply destroy them because they are no longer of any value to them. I don't like it, but here I am preparing to ride in something I don't even believe in."

Andrew regarded her in silence for several moments before he reached across the table for her hand, "Perhaps the way you feel about the sport is what makes you the perfect jockey for Grace. Any other jockey would probably jeopardize her for the sake of winning. You won't do that as what is most important to you is Grace. If you weren't here, Angel, someone would still race her probably under Ian's training and then think about what could happen." He regretted bringing up the man's name as he watched a shudder go through her, "I don't say that to upset you, baby, but to help you see the alternative. You are here for a reason. A very special reason and I don't ever want you to doubt that."

She nodded slowly, "I know you are right. I'm just afraid is all. I don't want to fail anyone. Not Grace, not the family...not you."

"Me? Monica, what-."

"Andrew, you have been working so hard to save this farm and if the farm loses this race...if I lose this race, then none of it will matter."

Frowning now, Andrew tugged on her hand until she got up and he pulled her into his lap, "Now you listen to me. What you need to remember..." His voice trailed off for a minute as he considered that what he was about to say applied to much more than just the problem with the farm and the race, "What WE need to remember is that despite how confusing things are right now, the Father has a plan for everything. The farm, the Snyders...you and I."

Her teary dark eyes locked with his as she drew in a sharp breath. She had always been able to see the confidence in Andrew's eyes, the certainty about most things and now was no exception and she had never been more grateful, "Do you really think so? You really believe that what is happening between you and I is part of His plan?"

"Angel, how could it not be? We are both feeling the same things...it can't be coincidence. Nothing else makes any sense at all other than trusting the Father to see what he has planned for us. Certainly we could not be feeling these things without him giving us the ability to feel them."

"Do you know how much I want to believe that? Andrew, I've been so confused and so afraid. I knew what I was feeling; knew it with my whole heart, but was still so afraid of it. I was afraid...afraid we could be separated for all eternity for what we felt!" A tear slipped down her face at the mere thought of it.

"Sweetheart, you know God is not cruel and he knows our hearts. I don't think he has any intention of pulling us apart," Reaching out, he tenderly wiped her tear away, "If so I think it would have happened yesterday." He winked at her and was pleased to see a tiny smile, "And you said someone told you to follow your heart today. Who told you that?"

"Tess," Despite her obvious exhaustion, both physical and emotional, Monica nearly giggled at the worried look on his face.

"You told Tess?"

"No. I just told her this assignment had been hard and she told me if I listened to my heart, I would never go wrong," Shyly, she leaned in and kissed him softly on the lips, surprising him, "So I'm listening."

"I am so glad to hear that, Angel .We will work this all out together, I promise. But right now, it is time for one tired little angel girl to get some sleep and you know what we are going to do tomorrow?" His fingers danced over her face as he steadily met her eyes, watching as she looked at him questionably, "We are going to let Grace run. As far and as fast as she wants to and we are going to trust that God has a plan for her too."

Impulsively, Monica threw her arms around him and buried her face in the nape of his neck, "My Andrew, I love you so."

"I love you too, Angel. Now, let's get you to bed." Helping her to her feet, he stood up and led her down the hall to her bedroom.

Looking up at him, her dark eyes were hopeful, "You know I sleep so much better after a difficult day in your arms, right?"

Chuckling softly and knowing he would not deny her anything, Andrew nodded his head, "I know hundreds of things about you, Monica, and that is one of them, and every single one of them I store up in my heart for when I need it."

A real smile spread across her face, possibly the first one he had seen since Ian had hurt her, and he had never been happier to know that he was one to put it there.


	41. Chapter 40

**CHAPTER 40**

"... I trust that you will do your best, sweet Grace. And I've told you before that the most important is that you are feeling well all along the race. In case you notice that there is something wrong, you are entitled to stop at any time, are we understood?"

Dressed in a jockey suit, especially customised for her, Monica removed Amazing Grace from her stall and took a long walk with her in the vast green field that was not far from there. Gently guiding her with the harness but walking right beside the animal, Monica spoke some encouragement words that could very well suit herself besides the lovely mare she had become so fond of.

"I can feel you are anxious to run, aren't you? I see it's in your blood. I would love to take you to my beloved Ireland, where you would be able to walk around those vast green fields that spread along the valleys. It would bring you so much joy, you see..."

The angel stopped for a moment and gazed at the animal with a lovely smile. "I'm under the impression that you don't know much about Ireland, do you?" she said, caressing Grace's head with tenderness. "But I'm sure you know a lot about freedom, don't you? At least this is what you were created for..."

"And I'm sure that a very charming little angel will give her a chance to feel this way again very soon!"

Monica was anxious about that day, it was a fact, but that familiar voice had the amazing ability to soothe her spirit and bring comfort her heart. She turned her head with a broader smile now to see her beloved Andrew gazing back at her with eyes filled with joy.

"Grace and I were hoping you could watch us!" She said, returning the look of tenderness she could see in his emerald pools.

Smiling, Andrew placed his hand on the small of her back and contemplated her small form with admiration. "I would not miss it for anything, angel. You look just so cute with this jockey outfit of yours!" Slightly blushed, she rolled her eyes but before she could say something else, Andrew patted Grace's head and spoke again. "You too, girl! You're both gonna have all the attention back at you!"

The smile on Monica's face faded slowly, giving place to an expression of slight worry at what was ahead of her. "Do you think she will make it, Andrew?"

"I think she has already made it, baby. Either she wins or not, you have already accomplished a mission here. I spoke to Caroline just now and I can see the change in her eyes. Humans cannot fool an angel and I could see that her spirit is healing from all the harm Ian had inflicted her, and it was thanks to you."

He kissed her temple lovingly to seal the truth of those words.

"I wouldn't have made it if it wasn't for you by my side." She said, gazing back at him with gratitude. To her, that statement was nothing but the plain truth, something that should not even be seen as extraordinary, for it was in her beloved Andrew's nature to do wonderful things to anyone who was blessed enough to cross his path.

Before Andrew could say something, they heard another familiar voice.

"Hola, amigos!"

"Good morning, Rafael. I am almost certain that Grace was asking about you too!" Monica greeted him, causing the other angels to cover an amused chuckle.

"Well, I'm here to take her up to her trailer. We have a long day ahead!" He replied, taking a quick look at Andrew and then back at Monica, secretly studying the atmosphere between his two angelic friends. He smiled afterwards, under the impression that things seemed to be much better now.

"We'll meet you at the court, Rafael." The blond angel replied, aware of his co-worker's thoughts.

"See you there, guys!"

They watched as the angel gently guided Amazing Grace to her trailer until the vehicle left the farm race court.

"I can tell Grace trusts Rafael very much. He has been such a good friend to her."

Andrew nodded his head with a slight smile on his face. "He's been a good friend to all of us."

Monica tilted her head and eyed him with an adorable expression of curiosity.

"He knows about us, angel." Her dearest friend spoke, busying himself by tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear, a little unsure about her reaction.

Andrew watched her smile fading in a matter of instants, being replaced by a worried frown. "He does?"

"The day we argued at the cabin... I met him in the living room at the guest house and we started to talk. I ended up telling him what happened and about my feelings for you."

He could notice how tense she suddenly became and, for a moment, even regretted making such an important revelation.

"And...what did he say, he-"

"He wasn't surprised at all. Matter of fact, he faced it as the most natural thing in the world. No judgement; no criticism. Just the certainty that nothing different could be expected from us." Andrew watched as now the expression on her face softened a little and cupped her face with his hand. "I'm starting to think that everyone around us saw what was obvious, except us."

Unable to resist his soft caress, even if it could mean exposing her new-found feelings, Monica leaned on his touch and closed her eyes for a brief moment. "I'm sorry I did not see it before."

Andrew's warm smile was what she saw when she opened her eyes again, feeling the closeness as he gave a step towards her. "And would you have told me?"

Hypnotized by his soft green pools, she nodded. "I would not be able to hide it for a long time, I'm afraid... I would fear your reaction, though. I would fear that you could not correspond my feelings and then everything could be ruined between us: our friendship, our trust."

"I know exactly how it feels." He said, so close now that she could feel his warm breath. They stood frozen in time for an instant and a silent conversation seemed to take place then, as Monica smiled back at him just waiting for his next move, which was bending his head and pressing his lips against hers. Their kiss did not last too long, but it was sweet and tender just the same, a brief caress to comfort their spirit and put the Irish angel's heart at ease as she had been through some rough days.

"Sorry for doing this right here..." he whispered, still nuzzling her face in contradiction to his words.

"I am not sorry you did..." came her soft reply, and once he finally pulled away their eyes met once again.

"I will be there with you, angel."

"I know. I will feel your heart beating with mine when the race starts."


	42. Chapter 41

**CHAPTER 41**

The short trip from the farm to the race court was a silent one. Andrew held Monica's hand all the way and despite all the pressure and the tense situation, in which a farm was at risk, the little angel felt her heart filled with an amazing sensation of peace.

And it was with her spirit warmed by Andrew's love that she headed to the stalls, as soon it was time for the jockeys to take their position next to their respective horses. Monica caressed Grace's soft brown fur and smiled at the animal, feeling in her heart that the beautiful mare instinctively deposited great trust in the angel in human form, as if the animal could feel there was something about Monica – something more than human, able to assure that no harm would be done to her.

Andrew took his place together with the audience, but contrary to all the others that surrounded him, he was not anxious to watch a horse race, but to see if God was merciful to a family that was going through difficult times and to a young woman who was fighting to get back her self-esteem and to establish a new meaning to her life.

The blond angel was leaning over a railing and gazing at the still empty track when a voice took him out of his thoughts.

"She is your world, isn't she?"

He straightened his body and turned to look at his side to see that Caroline had just approached him. There was a bittersweet smile on her face and he could still see through her eyes the great sorrow that was still lingering there.

With a slight smile, he looked at the court once more, somewhat picturing his beloved valentine riding Grace in a few minutes. "Monica has this... amazing ability to touch hearts and help people see what's their truth... that there is good in them and that they're much loved, even though they might doubt it sometimes."

"Your words tell me that you know your friend very well."

Still smiling, Andrew shook his head. "You met her just a couple of months ago and already know that."

"That's true. Sometimes I doubt that someone like Monica really exists. She always has the right words and the right time and even when she herself is hurting and in need of help she finds the strength to help others."

"You know, Caroline, I've always believed that having the chance to meet Monica is a privilege, and what you're saying only confirms that you agree with me. But there's something I'd like to ask you. If her presence means so much, if she was able to make you see the truth inside yourself, please let her know. When she finishes this race, either the result is good or not, you know that our assignment here will be over and we will leave. Don't miss the chance to have a final chat with her, because I'm sure that she will still have a few words you'll like to hear."

"Be sure I will, Andrew. I have so much to thank her for."

The voice coming from the loudspeakers interrupted their conversation and drew everybody's attention to the race court, where the ten horses stood waiting for a sign.

The noise coming from a fake gun seemed to scare the horses and they saw in the open stall doors a way to escape from any sort of danger that the blaster could represent. It saddened Monica and it somewhat scared her too. But the little Irish angel had an assignment to fulfil and summoned up all her courage in order to see past her insecurities and questionings and faced the path ahead of her.

With an admirable mix of elegance and carefulness, she guided the beautiful mare along the racing court. The animal and the heavenly creature immediately established a connection and if initially they were on the fourth place, soon they became the second.

Andrew's worried expression gave place to a confident one. Of course he knew his sweet angel girl was capable of doing a wonderful job, but he feared for Grace's condition and that a possible defeat would break Monica's heart. But even before the race was over, he smiled, aware that there was a heavenly force guiding the Irish angel up to the end line, which she crossed in the first place.

When the blond angel looked at his right, he saw a family holding one another in tears as the loudspeakers announced that the winner was Amazing Grace. But those were tears of happiness, as now their home would return to them.

As soon as she dismounted, Monica was surrounded by many: reporters of the local newspapers, the other jockeys that congratulated her, some people from the audience and then the Snyder's family. Andrew could see in the little angel's eyes that she was a little uncomfortable with the crowd, and when she found him amongst the others, Monica opened a broad smile.

The blond angel could not resist to that and made his way through the crowd to reach her. A moment later, his beloved Monica was in his arms and his soothing voice whispering in her ear somewhat made her forget about what was around her and seemed to put her heart at ease.

"I always believed you, sweet angel. I always knew that you would end up bringing joy to this family cause this is what you do..." he pulled away and cupped her cheek with one of his hands. "...you touch the hearts of those who cross your path."

She let out a small laughter, which was also partially a sob. "It's because I've been touched in my own heart by a loving Father and by an angel that was sent to me when I most needed him..."

Smiling, the blond angel kissed her forehead and held her tightly against him one more time; he was so proud of her and felt so in awe to look straight into kindness whenever he gazed at those bright brown pools! But in a way Andrew knew that his sweet valentine could feel what was in his heart; there was an eternal connection between their souls.

"_Mui bien, angelita_! I knew you'd do great!"

Their friend's voice caused Monica to pull away from Andrew rather clumsily and the two male angels could now hide their amusement at the slight blush that crept over her meek face.

"Thank you, Rafael!" she quickly said, and, trying not to show how amused he was, the Latin angel placed his hand over her shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"The Snyder's were really blessed. They couldn't have prayed for a better angel!"

That comment was enough to make her feel a little less embarrassed by his presence. Rafael knew about her an Andrew and for a split second she feared to be under his judgement. But the look in his dark eyes let her know that it was a dear friend that was standing before her, not someone who would criticize and condemn her and Andrew.

She covered his hand with hers and smiled warmly at him. "I'm not the only one who is on assignment here, Rafael. The Father also sent you and Andrew to help this family and if it weren't for you two, I think none of this would ever be happening right now."


	43. Chapter 42

**CHAPTER 42**

The rest of the day passed by so fast that before Monica and the others knew it, they were back at Safe Haven and celebrating Grace's victory. The farm was now safe from bankruptcy as the prize they would receive would pay their debts and help them balance their finances from that moment on. Amazing Grace's victory was unlikely and exactly due to this fact the bets on her made the prize twice higher.

The evening was warm and framed by a full moon and twinkling stars. The permanent noise of the crickets was temporarily stifled by excited voices and some laugher, and Mrs Davidson had prepared a special dinner that would last hours to come.

Pleased to see so much joy, Monica quietly exited the room, walked along the porch and descended its stairs up to the front yard admiring the beauty of the night sky and its grandiosity. Alone, the little angel conjoined her hands and then her soothing voice filled the night air.

"Dear Father, thank You so much for guiding me so I could help this family. They are so happy now and it brings equal happiness to my heart. There were moments I doubted I was the right angel to be here but You in Your infinite wisdom used me as Your instrument to bring them peace and restore their hopes. I don't know if I deserve it but now I feel so honoured."

"There isn't a more deserving creature other than you, sweet angel."

Andrew's calm voice reached her ears and she turned around to face him with a lovely smile.

"I'm sorry I sneaked out of the room, but I felt the need to come here and say a prayer of thanks..." she gladly accepted his warm embrace and closed her eyes for a moment.

"I felt you were willing to do it all day long, baby."

"It's been a long assignment but your presence here made all the difference."

He kissed her forehead lovingly. "It's been an honour and a privilege. But it's not over yet..." He said, looking over her head to see, from a certain distance, Caroline walking towards the stalls. Monica slightly pulled away and saw her assignment disappearing behind the trees, aware that she was probably going to pet her favourite horse.

"Her heart is open now, I can feel it, Andrew."

"And it's time for you to deliver the message you were meant to deliver since you arrived here."

"You are perfectly right." Monica looked up at him, his green eyes always filled with so much love and reassurance.

"I'm not going anywhere." He playfully winked at her and, nodding her head, she gently disentangled from his warm embrace.

X

Caroline walked along the stalls, taking her time to admire each and every one of the beautiful mares, stallions and foals that eyed her with a mix of gratitude and affection. Animals' uninterested way to love had always amazed her even though she had forgotten how to correspond to it lately.

The young woman stopped at the end of the last stall, and her blue eyes immediately met Grace's brown ones.

"Oh, sweet Grace... I haven't treated you very well, have I? And in spite of that, you're still standing before me and acknowledging my presence..." she spoke, gently touching the horse's forehead. "You do not hold any angst of feeling of revenge, not even against the one who was your torturer."

"Animals are like that, you know. God gave them a noble spirit and placed them next to humans as a gift and a reminder of what unconditional love and trust really are."

Monica's unmistakable voice made Caroline turn around and give a bittersweet smile. "It's amazing how you always have a perfect small truth to say every time we meet."

The Irish angel returned her smile and walked up to where Caroline was. Very gently, she raised her hand and stroked Grace's soft fur before speaking again. "She is very precious I will miss her when my assignment here is over, and I'm afraid it won't take too long before it happens."

That statement brought a hint of worry to the young farmer. "You are welcome to remain here as a vet for as long as you want, Monica. You don't need to leave." She quickly spoke, aware that Monica's warm presence would be greatly missed. "I've decided that I won't use these animals for racing any longer. Grace's championship was the last one. I will keep them in the farm, though, and you will still have a lot of work to do here."

"I'm very happy to hear about your plans, Caroline. Anyone who vows to protect animals and take care of them this way has a noble heart."

"I wouldn't call it 'noble'. I've been so unfair, so selfish and hurtful to so many... My family, my friends and even my animals suffered due to my actions. And you, Monica... I don't think I'll ever be able to apologise with you for all the harm I've done."

"I was sent here exactly because you were confused and lost and in great need of help."

A lonely tear fell from Caroline's eye as a bittersweet smile appeared on her face. "That's true. After you arrived, wonderful changes started to happen in Safe Haven, now I realise it. You spoke of the animals' noble spirit, but the truth is that some people also have this kind soul. You are one of these people."

Monica's warm eyes looked at the young woman with compassion.

"I'm an angel, Caroline."

As fast as the words were said, a stunning glow involved Monica's small form and if her presence already inspired much peace and harmony, it now filled Caroline's heart with God's love. Taken aback, she was speechless for a moment, in awe at the vision standing before her. "An angel?"

"Please, don't be afraid. God sent me here not only to help you and your family but also to let you know that you are much loved, Caroline."

"I... I don't think I'm deserving of an angel... I disappointed God in so many ways..."

Monica touched her shoulder, feeling sorry for the young woman who was now hiding her tears on her face with both hands. "Of course He would. You are special, Caroline, for you are His daughter." She gently removed Caroline's hands from her face. "There is no reason to feel ashamed now. Your Father has already forgiven you and set you free from the harm that evil man has done to you. And now He's smiling and happy to see that the wonderful changes you've just spoken of have finally happened. And it was thanks to Him."

"And thanks to you, Monica." The young woman said, trying to hold back the tears that never ceased. "You, Andrew and Rafael have done so much for my family and me, you-" Caroline suddenly stopped talking, as reality struck her one more time. "Andrew and Rafael..."

"They are angels as well."

The young woman let out a small laugher, which was also a sob. "I should have known that... You are all so special and so pure at heart..."

"These qualities are not exclusive to angels. Many human beings honour their loving Father by touching people's hearts with a message of love and compassion. I know you are one of these people and I truly hope you meet others with the same essence."


	44. Chapter 43

**CHAPTER 43**

"Your sweet Monica is really a wonderful creature. No wonder you love her so much, son!"

Jonathan's compliment took Andrew out of his reverie and placed a smile on his handsome face. The blond angel had been standing outside since Monica left and spent the latest minutes thinking about the events in Safe Haven. Two in special had been playing on his mind in contradictory flashbacks. He had asked for the Father's forgiveness and come to terms with the fact that he was not perfect and likely to make mistakes, but punching Ian's face was still torturing him once in a while; the anger he felt on that occasion had been unknown to him so far.

On the other hand, the discovery that his feelings for Monica had a deeper and more intense dimension that he had ever imagined sounded like finding a precious gift that had lain dormant all those years and which now filled his existence with infinite joy. They were certainly up against their fellow angels' opinion and Andrew knew there would be many drawbacks to face, but just to think about the sweet and tender kiss he and his beautiful valentine had exchanged a few days before was enough to fill his spirit with hope and courage. He could not wait until he had his angel girl back in his arms once again.

Looking at his interlocutor, Andrew managed a short smile. "Monica has this ability to touch the hearts of those who are fortunate enough to cross her path. And I'm glad to say that I'm one of those."

With a short laughter, Jonathan stood next to him and also faced the horizon, now bordered with the dark green vegetation and a sky filled with stars. "You're right. Since you two got here things started to change and we seemed to open our eyes for what was going on around us."

"I hope you and your family take this new beginning and turn it into something bigger, Jonathan."

"Be sure we will, Andrew. We-"

The man stopped talking when his eyes caught something moving in the darkness in between the tree shadows towards the stalls. But Jonathan quickly recognised the face hidden in the night.

"Son of a..."

"Jonathan!" Andrew frowned with worry at the expression on the man's face: Jonathan's jaw clenched and he compressed his fists as his eyes held a hateful look at the man who had dared to hurt his daughter so badly. Those feelings were not strange to the blond angel.

"Excuse me, Andrew, but there's something I need to do!"

He headed towards the main house but decided to enter through the kitchen door, so that the others did not see him and his tormented face as he reached the bedroom. A box hidden under the old wooden wardrobe contained a gun and after checking if it was loaded, the man threw the empty box on the bed and was going to cross the door again when he heard a familiar voice.

"You do not want to go on with it, Jonathan."

The man turned around to face Andrew's powerful gaze and for an instant he looked confused.

"How in the world did you get in here?"

"What you should really be asking, Jonathan, is what you are about to do and how in the world will you live with it for the rest of your days here on Earth."

"This has to stop, Andrew. And Ian has to pay for what he's done to my daughter!"

"It's not up to you to do justice with your own hands. Or at least what you think is justice."

"I'm surprised you're standing here telling me this when you yourself took care of that bastard when you saw him hitting Monica!"

"Yes, and I'm sorry for what I did!"

"Well, I'm not sorry for that man!"

Andrew gave one step closer. "Don't you see, Jonathan? I'm not sorry for Ian... I'm sorry for myself, I'm sorry for my attitude as it didn't make me feel a better creature. Much on the contrary, I was ashamed that my anger led me to do what I did. Because I'm not the one who has to make Ian pay for what he's done."

"That's easier said than done, Andrew. But in the end, we're all humans."

"You're wrong again, Jonathan..."

As soon as the words came out of his mouth, Andrew's form was surrounded by an intense golden glow which reflected in the entire room. The farmer gave a step back and, with eyes wide open in awe, he stared at the accountant with a questioning look.

"What's going on?"

"I'm an angel. Sent by God to help your family at this difficult hour."

"An angel?"

"An angel with a message from the Father Himself. He loves you, Jonathan Snyder, and He understands your anger at the evil man who treated your daughter so terribly bad."

With tear-filled eyes, Jonathan nodded his head. "When Caroline was a little girl I could protect her from all the harm and danger that there is in this world. I could give my little princess and her mother a wonderful life, filled with everything they wanted..."

"But they don't remain as children forever, right?"

"And I failed as a head of the family!"

"Don't say that. You gave your family the most important gifts that a human being can leave to his descendants: love and respect for their next and for all God's most beautiful creations. You taught Caroline how to love this place and to honour the beautiful legacy that her great-grandparents left her. And be sure that right now she understands it and yearns to follow your teachings. And what you're about to do is certainly going to destroy everything you took years to build with one drastic attitude. Believe me, you will regret it for the rest of your life."

"You're saying that because of what you did to Ian..."

"Yes. As much as it hurts to hear it, don't forget that it was Caroline who decided to go on with her relationship with Ian even after he started to abuse her."

The man shook his head with disappointment. "My baby... Why did she do it to herself?"

"Well, perhaps she was feeling confused and lost... perhaps she lost faith in what she used to believe in. But she is not only your daughter, Jonathan. She has a loving Father who saw her tears and felt her suffering. And He sent her an angel."

"You mean Monica?"

"Yes. She and Rafael have been taking care of this farm so it can remain as a reminder of God's wonderful creations."

"It all makes sense now... Everything started to change at the moment you arrived here in this farm."

"But our time here is running out. And I truly hope and pray that our passing here hasn't been in vain."


	45. Chapter 44

**CHAPTER 44**

"I don't know if I'll get used to the idea of seeing you all going away from here, you see, Monica. You and your friends are so part of our life now." Caroline wiped her tears and managed a short smile at the angel who had been holding her for the last minute.

"Oh, don't you worry. There is a loving Father who will never forsake you and your family. When times are hard, remember He is holding you in his hands."

"I knew you would get that prize, baby! I knew there was something big waiting for us!"

That cold but all too familiar voice interrupted the conversation and made Monica and Caroline look at the stall entrance. Ian's evil smile was enough to cause repulse and it immediately erased the smile on Caroline's face.

"What are you doing here, Ian?"

"I came to apologise, Caroline." He said, coming closer to her and trying to sound as serene as possible. "I came here to tell you that I was nervous because I thought you would lose this farm and... I nearly lost my mind."

"Don't listen to him, Caroline. He knows how to use words in a way to cause confusion and doubt." Monica gave one step ahead, eying him without fear.

"She's just trying to pull us apart, Caroline." Ian replied, not looking back at the angel who was standing next to his ex-girlfriend. But in an unexpected attitude, the young farmer stared back at him with a firm look in her eyes.

"Nobody pulled us apart except you, Ian. Actually, this is the only thing that came from our relationship that I'll be forever thankful for."

"Don't say that, baby. I know I've made mistakes and I'm willing to make up for all of them. If you just give me a chance, you'll see that I'm different. That everything has changed."

Caroline gave a few steps ahead. "You're a weak man, Ian. A coward. I could even say I'm sorry for you but I'm not, as I'm sure you'll pay for all the harm you've done to me and to those who unfortunately crossed your path. All of those were women and animals who you could beat up and torture. All of them weaker than you so you could at least pretend you are powerful, tough. You are nothing, Ian."

Ian stood still for a moment, taken aback by the words that had just come out of her mouth. He could not believe it that that fragile Caroline would be able to speak to him like that. It was definitely not what he had expected.

"What are you saying, woman? You're nothing without me!"

"Wrong again, Ian. I was nothing with you."

"It means that you stop here, you little bastard."

Another sudden voice was heard inside the stalls, and it was coming right from behind Ian. It was Jonathan.

"Dad..."

"Get out of here, old man, this is between Caroline and me!" Ian replied back, visibly annoyed by Monica and Jonathan's presence.

"I should just end it right now, you know, Ian. The world would be a much better place without people like you!" Jonathan spoke, staring at Ian's with anger.

While Monica lifted a silent prayer, Caroline stood before her father, afraid of what she could see in his eyes. "Dad, please..."

"I confess that I thought about putting an end to it. I think I could have..."

"Stop there, Ian Silver! You're under arrest for assault, gambling and invasion of private property." They looked towards the stalls door and saw three police officers holding their gun and one of them carried a radio. "Thank you for calling us, Mr Snyder. It's been a while we've been looking for him!"

As the officers came closer and grabbed him, Ian started to protest. "Hey, you're making a mistake here! Snyder set me up! I didn't do anything wrong!"

Caroline held her father and buried her face against his chest. "It's okay now, baby. Everything is gonna be okay, I promise."

Watching father and daughter, Monica smiled and heaved a sigh of relief that things had ended just fine. She also saw her dear Andrew standing next to them, but in his angelic form. She could see he was wearing his beige suit and through a silent conversation, she was aware that a crime had almost been committed and it had been her beloved valentine the one to stop it.

"_It could only have been you, my love. You made this a place of God's love and I could not expect anything different from you._" She spoke to his heart, receiving a smile as a reply, as well as the three whispered loving words that had always filled her spirit with joy.

X

"So, Caroline actually was the one to report Ian to the authorities?" Though the night had been long and difficult, the little angel had yet to wind down from the emotions of the last several hours. Caroline had asked her to accompany her when she went to town to give her statement to the police while Andrew had stayed behind with the Snyders, despite his reluctance to allow Monica anywhere near Ian without him close by.

"Turns out that in addition to abusing Caroline and the animals, he was embezzling money from the Snyders'," Andrew explained as the Irish angel rested in his arms on the sofa in the guest house, "He was writing them off as expenses for the horses but using it to gamble down at the track."

"and you discovered this when exactly?" Glancing up at him she raised an eyebrow causing the Angel of Death to chuckle.

"A week or so ago, but Caroline wasn't ready to hear it yet and you had enough to worry about with the race right around the corner."

"God's timing is always different from ours," She quipped, snuggling down more deeply into his arms.

"Wise words from an Angel of Truth," Andrew replied, kissing the top of her head, enjoying this closeness that was not laden with stress for either of them. He knew they still had things to resolve but for the moment he was not bringing any of that up to her.

"We're almost finished here," Monica sighed, both relieved and sad at the thought. Though the assignment had been long and difficult, she had made good friends here, not the least of them the animals on the ranch, "I just need to meet with you and Jonathan tomorrow."

"That's right! You had mentioned that if Grace won, which I knew she would as she had a wonderful trainer, that you had a possible solution to the long term financial situation here. Care to fill me in on that?"

"No," A tiny giggle escaped her as Andrew raised his eyebrows, "I want to tell you both at the same time, so it will have to be tomorrow."

"An Angel of Mystery as well," His heart warmed at the happy spark in her dark eyes, "My Angel of Mystery," He added, dipping his head to brush his lips with hers.

When their lips parted, a brief look of apprehension was on the little angel's face that caused Andrew to frown, "Monica?"

"What do you suppose happens now? With us?"

He leaned back and resumed running his fingers through her auburn tresses, "I think we will need to talk to Tess." Her shocked expression caused him to chuckle once again.

"You were quite concerned a few days ago when you thought I had told her," She reminded him with a pointed stare.

"Perhaps, but I have had some time to think about it. We need her guidance, Angel. I'm not sure of her reaction, but I don't think that keeping it from her is a wise decision."

"No," Monica replied thoughtfully, "No matter how she feels about it, if we aren't the ones to tell her she will be hurt." The mere thought of hurting a friend so dear caused her throat to constrict painfully but she also feared that whether they told Tess the truth or kept it from her, they may be hurting her. On the other hand, Tess was truly the least of her worries, "Andrew?"

"Hmm?" He rested his chin against the crown of her head.

"What if they try to keep us apart?"

The words were whispered but caused the Angel of Death to sit straight up as if she had screamed them. He could not imagine such a horrible scenario. How could he endure without having Monica in his existence? His own moment of panic had caused alarmed doe-like eyes to look up at him, so he steadied his heart and replied evenly, "I won't allow that to happen. I promise you, Angel."

"But how can you? We can't deny what we are, Andrew and if they tell us we can't see each other-." Her Irish lilt was rushed and frightened and Andrew knew he had to gain control before the little angel worked herself into tears.

"Listen to me," he cut her off with a tender but firm finger to her lips, "Let's not do this, baby, "His hand moved to cup her cheek, "Unless the Father Himself tells me this cannot be, I am not taking orders from anyone else when it comes to how I feel about you. I told you before that I have to believe that our love for each other is part of a bigger plan; is part of the original plan or else it would not even be possible."

"I believe that too as nothing else makes any sense but what about everyone else? Our friends...what if they are against us?"

Silently, Andrew drank in her simple beauty as he considered her question and how to answer it. Monica had an innate need to please everyone around her and he understood all too well how important the approval of those she was close to meant to her.

"Monica. I will never tell you that the possibility is not there that some may not be happy with us. They may not be," The tears in her eyes went straight to his heart. Oh how he longed to make everything right and perfect for her!

"What I will tell you, baby, is that I will be there, no matter what happens. No matter who is against us or who is angry with us, you will always have me in your corner. This, I promise you."

Biting her lower lip briefly to hold back tears, Monica nodded firmly, "I promise too. I will always be with you. Always, Andrew. I promise. I don't care what they say, I won't give you up! I won't!" Pure emotion caused her to hurl herself right into his strong arms, which welcomed her instantly as they closed around her in protection.

"I love you so much, Angel," Andrew whispered into her ear, "We will find our way through this with the Father's guidance. Of this much I am certain."

"If you say it, I know it is true," She replied softly, her cheek resting against his chest, "And by the way, I love you too." Tearfully Monica tilted her head up and their promises were sealed with a tender kiss.


	46. Chapter 45  Final Chapter

**CHAPTER 45**

"Monica, I think your idea is exquisite," Jonathan exclaimed for the third time, "Teaming up with the School for Autism...I never would have thought of it. The school needs the program as much as we do."

"There is so much proof that animals can open up a whole new world to autistic children," The little angel continued enthusiastically, "I've already spoken to Tess and the school will pay you well for the program. More than enough to keep the farm going...without the racing." She held her breath. This was the part she prayed Jonathan and Caroline would agree to.

"Without the racing," Caroline stated firmly, "I've never liked it. I've always preferred that animals are ours to love and not to be used as a commodity. The children will love them as much as we do. Of that I am sure."

Andrew simply sat back in his chair and allowed the conversation to transpire. He felt so proud of Monica and she was positively beaming over her idea being so well accepted. It was hard for him to believe that just a few short weeks ago she had been a victim to an abusive man and now she spoke confidently and an assuredness that came from knowing she was loved; by the Snyders, by the Father, by him. It was one of those nearly perfect moments he would keep in his heart forever.

Margaret had been quiet after the initial excitement about the idea now managed a sad smile, "Well, that just leaves me with one question."

Expectant human and angelic eyes turned to her forcing her to continue, "How on God's green earth are we going to say goodbye to the two of you?"

Andrew could have predicted Monica's tears so he was not surprised when they immediately flooded her dark eyes and he instinctively reached for her hand, "This has been a long assignment for us, but there are always humans who become near to our hearts and I think I can speak for both of us in saying that this has been one of those assignments."

"You two have become part of the family," Caroline stated, blinking back her own tears, "I feel like my sister and her boyfriend are moving out."

The Angel of Death's face flushed bright red and even Monica giggled through her tears, "We will both miss all of you," The little angel replied, "And this assignment has been special to us for another reason too as it was during this assignment that Andrew and I have come to realize how we really felt about each other."

"Ah, I knew it all along," Jonathan quipped with a wink at the angelic couple, "I saw the way Andrew looked at you."

"Because it is the same way you have always looked at mom," Caroline smiled, glancing at her father with some envy in her eyes.

"And the way someone will look at you one day soon," Margaret added confidently as she looked at her daughter.

"It's true," Monica stated softly as she looked at her assignment with great affection, "God has someone special in mind for you, Caroline. You only need to be patient and wait on Him."

"I know that now, "The young woman replied, "I am not settling for anyone cruel again. I want what my parents have...and what you and Andrew have."

Andrew met his eyes with Monica's as a wealth of loving thoughts were exchanged in that glance, "True love is worth fighting for," Andrew never stopped looking at the little angel as he spoke to both she and Caroline.

Caroline eyed the two angels, having a feeling in her heart that the twosome would soon be in for a fight. She and Monica had time for some girl talk last night and though the angel had not said much, there was just enough for Caroline to know that angels in love was not normal protocol, "I pray things work out well for both of you."

"God is always in control," Andrew replied confidently, hoping to pass some of his assuredness onto Monica as he knew she was rather nervous about confessing their non-angelic feeling to their angelic friends, "and now I'm afraid it is time for us to go." He could feel the pull in his heart that he and Monica were being called Home and he knew by the look in her dark eyes that she felt it too.

He watched with great affection as his beloved angel embraced each member of the family, leaving them with encouraging words. Andrew had already said his own goodbyes and he took Monica's hand, silently asking if she was ready.

"I have one more place to go." Her sad eyes were serious, but he instantly understood. There was so little he didn't understand about her...

She had already said her goodbyes to Charmer and Joy, as well as the rest of the horses, save one. The whole time, Brady stayed loyally by her heels, emitting a whine every now and then, the collie sensing that his beloved friend would soon be gone.

Andrew hung back as he watched Monica approach Grace's stall, the horse greeting the angel with a soft nicker.

"Ah, sweet Grace," She whispered tearfully, as she stroked the spot between the horse's eyes, "I shall miss you and Brady the most. But your life will be so much better now. There will be many children depending on your sweet nature to help them communicate and you will be fulfilling God's purpose for your life," Learning in, she dropped a kiss and tears on the horse's nose, "I love you, my friend."

Swallowing back a sob, Monica then knelt to the ground and wrapped her arms around Brady, hugging him tightly, "Take care of this family, Brady. Thank you for helping Andrew to take care of me." Giving him one last affectionate scratch behind the ears, she then slowly rose to her feet and looked at Andrew through teary eyes, "I'm ready."

Stepping forward Andrew drew her into his arms and allowed her to shed her remainder of her tears, "I love how much you love them," He whispered into her ear, not only referring to the animals here at the farm but every animal and human she had ever met.

"How can I not?" She replied with a tearful laugh before she looked up into his emerald green eyes, "but never as much as I love you."

His heart seemed to skip a beat at her words before he dipped his head and briefly touched his lips to hers, "Let's go home, Angel." Her eyes were anxious but he soothed her worried expression with his fingertips against her face, "He's with us, baby. I can feel the Father's love for us. Can you feel it?"

"I can," She whispered, drawing in a breath of resolve, "Let's go Home." Though her words tried to sound confident, she only relaxed when Andrew's hand wrapped around her own as they vanished from the barn, leaving only a white dove, perched on the door to Grace's stall.

**The end**

**_Thanks everyone for reading and for leaving your always so kind feedback. This is the ending of "Safe Haven" but Kim and I are already working on its sequel, okay? ;)_  
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